Proposals
A Word On Proposals
Week two’s independent study topic focused more on its benefits and creative aspects. My College Navigator section discussed its syllabus and mentioned the brief proposal I asked to include at the end of it as part of the application process. To compliment that post, I’m expanding on the process of proposals.
A few useful things to know about proposals before starting.
They are very similar to application and scholarship essays since they all are a very calculated, confident, plea to be chosen.
Like everything, they must be edited and go through more than one draft!
The multiple draft process is one that may seem the most tedious and frustrating. It means that no matter how much time you’ve spent on your first draft—somewhat editing as you go—it is completely ridiculous to think you are done in a single draft. I highly recommend sending out for another opinion. Let someone else look at it and take their notes into consideration. Two drafts is an absolute minimum (even for blogs). I went through seven (seriously!) just to apply to an Undergraduate honors thesis program (BTW’s, the final paper went through seven as well and required revisions before the final “graduating with honors” was able to be bestowed upon most of us in the program). Do not discount or feel superior to notes and multiple drafts. All of those I know who have succeeded, submit to the reality that they are not perfect.
Writing is much less similar in its process to creating visual media than I once thought. There is certainly a time when it is time to leave an essay, a manuscript, any piece of work alone or risk destroying it. If reworked too much, it can become muddled and appear like you are trying too hard. Sometimes this means in all the edits your own voice and main point (thesis statement, claim, etc.) has been lost. For me, in visual arts there is a much clearer moment when another stroke will render the piece overdone.
When I have ignored my instincts in those moments, I have usually regretted it and had to scrape my paint—hours of work—off the canvas, and start over. Though it is always better to concede defeat and begin again, especially if it means producing something worthy of sharing, man does it suck. What a waste. Do not let pride limit you, ever. But, as a warning, know that you will yell at yourself—and probably the notes of others—alone in your room by draft four.
One last note: choose readers (when not assigned) carefully. Make sure they will give constructive feedback. If you are sensitive, try to find someone who will be considerate without simply saying what you want to hear. Choose someone who knows the topic. This might not always matter, but it will matter as the programs and papers become more specific. Finally, be sure you ask for help from someone who knows what they are doing! Grammar is also part of the review/editing process. If your helper is as new at this as you, or not particularly interested in precision, you will be wasting your time taking bad advice.
The fun part about proposals is that you get to rev yourself up about your project. As you go through drafts you will discover how to narrow your topic. Finding out how much more there is to narrow means teasing out other interesting directions you may want to consider for your research. You may have spotted a downside to that: confusion and distraction. Yes, but it will also reveal fascinating ideas and clarify your purpose. So leave enough time to let your proposal evolve. That way you will be researching what truly interests you when you are accepted.
May nerd-dom abound!
Katrina Pavlovich
Quote-of-the-day
"Anybody can have ideas--the difficulty is to express them without squandering a quire of paper on an idea that ought to be reduced to one glittering paragraph." --Mark Twain
Are all the Giants Dead? by Mary Norton
James asks his guide, Mildred, what time period they are in after just meeting someone named “Boofy” and her husband “Beau” whose costumes did not seem to match each other’s in era (35). She explains that “they belong to Time Immemorial. They wear more or less what they like. In some cases, of course, they go by the illustrator…” (36). As traditional fairy tales—mostly Grimm and Perreault— were collected around the 1800’s, logically, illustrators styled their characters to match their time or romanticized it by depicting medieval dress. By telling James they can “wear what they like,” Norton frees us, her readers (and story), from any preconceptions formed by the names Cinderella, Beauty and Beast.
The entirety of the story takes place post the classic tales. This twist encourages the theme of freedom Norton has imbued her characters with since it lets us see after happily-ever-after. The guide/journalist, Mildred actually leaves James for almost half the story allowing James to assist many characters (52). While she is covering a wedding ball, James and Dulcibel track down a magic frog to put an end to frog-princes and the need to kiss them (114).
One of the best parts of this book is, in fact, the illustrator. Brian Froud is a leading artist in the illustrating field, particularly of magical creatures and fantasy. If you are unaware, you’ll recognize his style in many puppet driven films after reading this book (lots of Jim Henson though not Muppets). His melding of classic folklore ideals with modern twists—not to mention his own story lore—is what makes him so creative, intriguing and enjoyable to peruse.
Though I don't believe it is out of print, Are All the Giants Dead? is not something I've found in regular bookstores ever. I found my copy in an antique bookstore. Abebooks.com or Amazon.com (or abebooks through amazon marketplace) has it in soft and hardcover (the cover picture is an easy click through link). Mary Norton has written many classics well worth reading. Enjoy!