Creative Writing Fiction Writing Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'unreliable narrator' in fiction?
- A narrator whose credibility is compromised or limited (Correct answer)
- A narrator who speaks in second person
- A narrator who only describes external events
- A narrator who is also the story's villain
Correct answer: A narrator whose credibility is compromised or limited
An unreliable narrator is a storytelling device where the narrator's account is biased, mistaken, or deliberately deceptive, requiring readers to read between the lines.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a 'hook' at the beginning of a story?
- To immediately capture the reader's attention and compel them to keep reading (Correct answer)
- To introduce all the main characters at once
- To establish the story's theme early on
- To provide background information about the setting
Correct answer: To immediately capture the reader's attention and compel them to keep reading
A hook is an opening line or passage designed to grab the reader's interest immediately and make them want to continue reading.
Question 3: What is 'internal conflict' in fiction?
- A struggle within a character's own mind or emotions (Correct answer)
- A fight between two characters
- A disagreement between a character and society
- A battle between two opposing factions
Correct answer: A struggle within a character's own mind or emotions
Internal conflict is a psychological struggle within a single character, often involving competing desires, moral dilemmas, or self-doubt.
Question 4: What is 'deus ex machina' and why is it generally considered a writing flaw?
- An unlikely plot device that artificially resolves conflict, considered lazy writing (Correct answer)
- A term for divine intervention in religious fiction
- A technique for accelerating plot pacing
- A method of introducing new characters late in the story
Correct answer: An unlikely plot device that artificially resolves conflict, considered lazy writing
Deus ex machina refers to an implausible plot resolution where an unexpected power or event suddenly solves an otherwise unsolvable problem, undermining story logic.
Question 5: What distinguishes 'literary fiction' from 'genre fiction'?
- Literary fiction emphasizes style, theme, and character depth over plot-driven entertainment (Correct answer)
- Literary fiction is always written in first person
- Literary fiction never includes supernatural elements
- Literary fiction must be based on true events
Correct answer: Literary fiction emphasizes style, theme, and character depth over plot-driven entertainment
Literary fiction prioritizes prose style, complex characters, and thematic exploration, while genre fiction typically emphasizes plot, entertainment, and genre conventions.
Question 6: What is 'free indirect discourse' in fiction?
- A technique blending a character's thoughts with the narrator's voice without quotation marks (Correct answer)
- Dialogue written without punctuation
- A story told from multiple perspectives simultaneously
- Writing that switches between past and present tense
Correct answer: A technique blending a character's thoughts with the narrator's voice without quotation marks
Free indirect discourse merges a character's inner thoughts with the narrator's voice, presenting a character's perspective without formal attribution like 'she thought.'
Creative Writing Fiction Writing Techniques 2
What is 'unreliable narrator' in fiction?