Fiction & Novel Writing Certification

The Fiction & Novel Writing Certification is a free intermediate-level, 20-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests fiction and novel writing — premise and theme, planning versus discovery drafting, novel structure, chapters and pacing, multiple points of view and narrative distance, characterisation, backstory and arcs, subplots, scene and sequel, tension and stakes, dialogue and voice, setting and world-building, genre conventions from literary fiction to crime, romance, fantasy and science fiction, drafting discipline and revision passes, beta readers and editors, querying agents, traditional and self-publishing, rights and contracts — written to Purdue OWL, Britannica and Authors Guild guidance for 2026 and 2027. Score 70% or more on its 20 questions to earn a verifiable Fiction & Novel Writing certificate (SOA-FNW). Every question is based on published standards and research — including Purdue Online Writing Lab (Purdue University), Literary terms and forms (Encyclopaedia Britannica), Publishing contracts, rights and author resources (The Authors Guild) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Science of Apps offers a free Fiction & Novel Writing Certification, written for 2026 and 2027. It tests concept and planning, character, voice and point of view, genre and craft and revision and publishing with 20 original scenario questions in all, each naming its published source; you get an instant score and a verifiable certificate with a credential ID you can add to LinkedIn.

Read the four skill areas on this page, then take the 20-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Fiction & Novel Writing certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: Purdue Online Writing Lab (Purdue University); Literary terms and forms (Encyclopaedia Britannica); Publishing contracts, rights and author resources (The Authors Guild). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Four skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Concept and Planning (Premise and theme, Planning approaches and Novel structure); Character, Voice and Point of View (Characterisation, Point of view and distance and Dialogue and voice); Genre and Craft (Genre conventions, Setting and world-building and Tension and stakes); Revision and Publishing (Revision passes, Feedback and editors and Agents, publishing and rights). Every question is an original scenario written to the 2026–2027 standard, with the published source named under it.

Aspiring or emerging novelist, Creative writing or MFA student, Short story writer moving to long form, Self-publishing author and Editor or book coach. It suits students at leading universities, career switchers and experienced professionals who want quick, verifiable proof of Fiction & Novel Writing knowledge in 2026 and 2027.

Film, writing and design students at NYU Tisch, USC, UCLA, Columbia and RCA want craft credentials beyond software tools. Passing earns a founder-signed Science of Apps certificate with a credential ID and QR code that recruiters can verify.

How close the narration sits to a character's thoughts — from distant, objective description to deep, close third person that reads almost like the character's own voice.

Both work. "Plotters" outline structure in advance; "pantsers" discover the story while drafting. Many writers mix the two, using a loose outline and revising heavily.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

20 questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — with a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Intermediate: assumes hands-on experience in the role. It has 20 scenario questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — and a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.