Running head: CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

Capstone Proposal: Dear Sailor

Sophie D. Fouts
Waxahachie Global High School Capstone Class B6

Author Note
My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a
skillful writer. Psalm 45:1

CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

Table of Contents
Project Benefits & Purpose..3
Project Reasoning3
Project Research...3
Audience..........4
Feedback & Measuring of Success..4
Milestones...4 - 5
Inspirational Photos....5 - 7
Mentors.7 - 10
PLTW Engineering Design Process...10
Work Cited.11

CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

Project Benefits & Purpose

For my Capstone project, I choose to write my first original novel. By doing this project,
I will gain experience before-hand about the process of writing a book. These challenges include
but are not limited to: coming up with a book idea, writing the rough-draft, editing, rewriting and
editing some more, finishing the final manuscript, and writing a letter to the publishers and
sending them the final copy. On a storytelling note, I will also learn about literary wording
techniques, story structure and building, hero arcs, and setting, to where my reader is completely
immersed in the story. This project will help me to effectively learn how to create a book.
Project Reasoning
When I was younger, I actually hated books. I physically refused to read them, but when
I was put into reading recovery, I finally saw what books were. Books are beautiful pieces of art
that paint worlds not with oil-colored paste, but with the careful strokes of words against the
mind. I read and write all the time nowadays, and my goal is to get a bachelors in English with a
focus in creative writing with possibly even another bachelors or a minor in business, so I can
open my own publishing company one day. I dream of sharing the messages in my books with
people around the world.
Research Ideas
My ideas for researching include looking into articles or books on the publishing
industry, literary agents, and editors. I will also look into the current climate of the book industry
and where it is headed. I would also do research on story crafting. For my technical paper, my
ideas consist of arguing that the Free Writing method is the best writing method, traditional
publishing is better than independent publishing, writing is an art form, print books are better
than digital books, and books are a prominent form of media.

CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

Audience
For my actual book, my aimed at reading audience is teen to young adult for the book.
Particularly, I want young people who are interested in literature and/or enjoy the fantasy genre.
My project audience is the three publishers I am sending the book out to and the twenty or more
Global High School students I will compile from the Creative Writing Club and student body.
Feedback & Measuring of Success
To measure the success of my project, I will send my manuscript to at least three
publishers. If the publishers respond to me before the Capstone presentations at the end of the
year, I will include that in my feedback. However, I will not hinge my project on this since there
is a chance I may not receive a response. Another measure of success I will be using is to have
the twenty or more students from the Waxahachie Global High Creative Writing Club and
student body read the first three or so chapters of my book. After they have finished reading, I
will have them complete a survey, so I can properly determine what affect my book had on them.
Milestones
Note: Dates are completion dates.
Dates
October 31, 2016
October 31, 2016
October 31, 2016
October 31, 2016
November 30, 2016
November 30, 2016
November 30, 2016
November 20-27, 2016
December 31, 2016
December 31, 2016
December 31, 2016
December 16-31, 2016
January 31, 2017
January 31, 2017

Milestones
Brainstorm and select project
Have basic story outline
Find writing mentor and publishing mentor
Propose project to teachers and class
Meet with each mentor once a month to receive feedback
Write at minimum at least 10,000 more words.
Research parts of publishing
Write for at least 10 hours attempt to write for 15 hours
Write at least 15, 000 more words
Meet with each mentor once a month to receive feedback
Research parts of publishing and begin to implement parts of
publishing
Write for at least 20 hours
Write at least 10,000 more words
Write at least for 2 hours each weekend

CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

January 31, 2017
January 31, 2017
February 28, 2017

February 28, 2017

February 28, 2017
February 28, 2017
February 28, 2017
March 31, 2017
March 31, 2017
March 31, 2017
March 31, 2017
April 1-15, 2017
April 1-15, 2017
April 1-15, 2017
April 16-30, 2017
May 31, 2017
May 31, 2017
May 31, 2017
May 31, 2017

Meet with each mentor once a month to receive feedback

Research parts of publishing and begin to implement parts of
publishing
Get between 65,000 x 110,000 words. Try to keep book at
around 70,000 words, but it is okay if it goes over so long as it
remains in the equation. The manuscript rough draft must be
finished.
Write at least for 2 hours each weekend until the quota of words is
met and when the book is finished.
Begin editing
Implement parts of publishing
Meet with each mentor once a month to receive feedback
Have editing done by the end of the month
Finish one page publisher letter
Implement parts of publishing
Meet with each mentor once a month to receive feedback
Send out finished manuscript and send to three publishers, if no one
has picked up my book already
Have focus group read chapters from book and receive feedback to
create charts and diagrams
Meet with each writing mentor at least one more time
Make Capstone Presentation and tie up all loose ends of project.
Perform Mock Capstone Presentation and receive feedback
Make adjustments of based on the Mock Capstone Presentation
Final Capstone Presentation
Celebrate with at least one WHOOP! and a bottle of sparkling
cider.

Inspirational Photos

Running head: CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

Encouragement

Possible Concept

The Protagonist

The Complicated Relation

Landscape Reference 1

The Old Man

CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

Armor Reference

Dark High Priest

Landscape Reference 2
Mentors

Monster

Running head: CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

Name: Virginia Cofer

College of Graduation: Texas Wesleyan University and National University
Degree: Master of Arts in English
Title: Waxahachie Global High School Dual-Credit Teacher
Specialty: Writes stories in her free time, and is working on her first book

Name: Jeff Dotson

College of Graduation: Art Institute of Dallas
Degree: Computer Animation and Multimedia
Title: Co-CEO of Four Story Creative

CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

Specialty: Owns the Planet 316 publishing house

Name: Connilyn Cossette

Title: CBA Best-Selling Multi-Published Author
Sponsor: Bethany House Publishers
Specialty: Biblical Fiction

Name: Rachel Eubanks

College of Graduation: Southwestern Assemblies of God University

CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

10

Degree: English Major with a Minor in Theater

Title: Indie Author
Specialty: Editing
PLTW Engineering Design Process

I will relate the process of writing my book to the PLTW Engineering Design Process by:
defining my story in prewriting, generating story ideas, developing my story while I draft it,
constructing my manuscript and revising it, evaluating and editing my book, and presenting it to
my audience and publishing it. It is not difficult to relate it to the PLTW Engineering Design
Process to the Writing Process. It may be an artistic form of expression, but it is an expression
that can turn into a product.

CAPSTONE PROPOSAL: DEAR SAILOR

Work Cited
Fouts, Sophie. Dear Sailor. Pinterest. Facebook. October 25, 2016. Web. October 25, 2016.

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