Final Project
Final Project: Book Proposal & Publishing Plan
Assemble a complete Book Proposal & Publishing Plan for your own book, based on your manuscript or memoir piece from CWP 221–223. This plan brings together everything in the course and gives you a clear path to publish in God's time. All parts may be handwritten and hand-drawn; formatted sample pages may be a paper mock-up.
Requirements
- Title and subtitle
- Book description (100–175 words) and author bio (50–100 words), honest and discreet
- Table of contents with front matter and back matter listed
- Formatted sample pages: title page, copyright page, contents, and first chapter page (typed or paper mock-up) with a spec sheet
- Cover concept sketch: front, spine, and back, with image source explained
- Rights and permissions log with ISBN plan
- Publishing and launch timeline, budget, and ministry plan, including a note on legal, tax, and supervision questions to settle
- A one-page reflection on your growth across the certificate
Timeline
- Module 3: title, description, and bio drafted
- Modules 4–5: sample pages and cover concept
- Modules 6–7: rights log, budget, and production plan
- Module 8: launch and ministry plan; submit and present
Grading Rubrics
Grading Rubrics
Every rubric uses the same four levels. Your instructor will mark the level that best matches your work for each row and add a short comment.
Module Assignment Rubric
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completeness | Every required part is done | Most required parts are done | About half the parts are done | Little of the assignment is done |
| Accuracy & Skill | Skills applied correctly with no significant errors | Minor errors that do not affect the result | Several errors that affect the result | Major errors throughout |
| Professional Quality | Neat, clear, and ready for an employer to see | Clear with small issues | Hard to follow in places | Unclear or disorganized |
| Effort & Growth | Went beyond the minimum or clearly improved | Solid, consistent effort | Minimal effort | Little evidence of effort |
Total possible: 16 points.
Reflection Journal Rubric
Journals are graded on effort and reflection, never on spelling, grammar, or the details of a personal story.
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completion | Responds fully to every part of the prompt | Responds to most of the prompt | Responds to part of the prompt | Entry missing or one line |
| Connection to Lesson | Clearly applies the week's skill or idea | Mentions the lesson | Vague link to the lesson | No link to the lesson |
| Faith Reflection | Thoughtfully engages the Scripture or faith theme | Engages the faith theme | Brief mention of faith theme | Does not address the faith theme |
| Personal Application | Names a specific next step or change | Names a general next step | Next step is unclear | No next step |
Total possible: 16 points.
Participation Rubric
Scored at the end of each module. Average the eight scores for the Attendance & Participation grade.
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attendance & Punctuality | Present and on time for the full session | Present; late or left early once | Missed part of the session more than once | Absent without make-up work |
| Preparation | Completed assignment and brought workbook every time | Usually prepared | Sometimes prepared | Rarely prepared |
| Engagement | Contributes thoughtfully and draws others in | Contributes regularly | Contributes when asked | Seldom contributes, even when invited |
| Respect & Covenant | Models the classroom covenant for others | Follows the covenant consistently | Needs occasional reminders | Needs frequent reminders |
Total possible: 16 points.
Final Project Rubric: Book Proposal & Publishing Plan
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completeness | All eight parts included | Six or seven parts | Four or five parts | Three or fewer |
| Title, Description & Bio | Clear, inviting, honest, and discreet | Clear with minor issues | Vague or overshares in places | Missing or unsafe |
| Book Design | Sample pages and cover apply formatting and design principles well | Mostly correct | Several principles missed | Little evidence of principles |
| Rights, Budget & Safety | Permissions, ISBN plan, no-debt budget, and legal/supervision questions addressed | Most addressed | Several gaps | Not addressed |
| Launch, Ministry & Reflection | Realistic launch and ministry plan; thoughtful reflection | Clear plan and reflection | Brief plan or reflection | Missing |
Total possible: 20 points.
Quick Guide
Self-Publishing Quick Guide
Keep this guide with your important papers after release.
Three Publishing Paths
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Traditional | Publisher pays to produce the book and pays the author; selective; often needs an agent |
| Hybrid | Author pays some costs; check carefully for vanity-press red flags |
| Self-publishing | You are the publisher; you keep control and responsibility |
Vanity Press and Scam Red Flags
- ☐ Large up-front fees or vague packages
- ☐ Pressure, flattery, or unsolicited calls and emails
- ☐ Promises of bestsellers, sales, or movie deals
- ☐ Contracts that take your rights or require buying copies
- ☐ Reading fees from agents; high-fee contests
- ☐ Payment by gift card or wire transfer
Parts of a Book
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Front matter | Half-title, title page, copyright page, dedication, epigraph, contents, foreword or introduction |
| Body | Chapters, devotions, or parts |
| Back matter | Acknowledgments, about the author, notes, resources, discussion questions |
Book Description Pattern
Hook (connect with the reader's need) / What the book offers (the journey, hope, and help) / Who it is for (the reader who will benefit most). Keep it short and truthful; never promise results only God can give.
Copyright Page Checklist
- ☐ Copyright © [year] [name]. All rights reserved.
- ☐ No reproduction without permission, except brief quotations in reviews
- ☐ ISBN for this edition
- ☐ Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version.
- ☐ Memoir: some names and identifying details have been changed
- ☐ Publisher or imprint, edition, design and editing credits
Formatting and Cover Basics
- ☐ Choose a trim size your platform supports (a folded letter sheet is 5.5 x 8.5 inches)
- ☐ Wider inside margin (gutter); check platform minimums
- ☐ Readable serif body font; no more than two fonts
- ☐ Indent paragraphs; start chapters on a new page
- ☐ Running headers and page numbers; none on chapter openings
- ☐ Cover: readable title at thumbnail size, one strong image, licensed images only
Before You Publish
- ☐ Check conditions of release before publishing online or under your name
- ☐ Ask an attorney about laws on profiting from crime-related stories (they vary by state)
- ☐ Have an advisor or attorney review any contract
- ☐ ISBNs in the U.S. come through Bowker; read terms of any free ISBN
- ☐ Learn about copyright registration at copyright.gov
- ☐ Read current platform terms; order a proof copy
- ☐ Keep records and talk with a tax professional about income
My Book Plan
Working title: ______________________________
Subtitle: ______________________________
Format(s): ______________ Target release season: ______________
Person I will ask for counsel: ______________________________
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.— Philippians 1:6 (KJV)
Final Exam
- 1.
Habakkuk 2:2 says to:
- 2.
In traditional publishing, the publisher:
- 3.
A key red flag of a vanity press is:
- 4.
Which is front matter?
- 5.
A subtitle should:
- 6.
An honest, discreet author bio:
- 7.
The gutter is:
- 8.
Without a device, you can practice interior formatting by:
- 9.
A cover title must be readable:
- 10.
You may use a cover image when:
- 11.
In the United States, ISBNs are issued through:
- 12.
Copyright protection in the U.S. begins when a work is:
- 13.
Print-on-demand means:
- 14.
Before giving books to a prison, an author should:
- 15.
The King James Version is generally in the public domain in the United States.
- 16.
A platform's free ISBN option may come with limits, so authors should read the current terms.
- 17.
Laws about profiting from crime-related stories are identical in every state.
- 18.
Payment by gift card is a common sign of a scam.
- 19.
List four items commonly found on a copyright page.
- 20.
Explain how Luke 14:28 applies to self-publishing.