faq-How To Complete Your Proposal

Quick-Start Guide: Completing Your Creative Proposal

(a friendly blueprint you can riff on—then remix at will)

1 | Set the Stage – Mind-Friendly Prep

  • Lower the pressure. A proposal is a conversation starter, not a contract. You can—and many students do—change direction once the course begins.

  • Embrace “good-enough drafts.” Get ideas on the page first; polish later.

  • Work in quick bursts. If long sessions are tough, try 10-minute sprints with movement or music breaks.

  • Think in Post-its. One thought per sticky; shuffle until a shape appears. Range of ideas? Perfect—breadth first, editing later.

2 | Fill the Core Blocks

Use the headings below as your skeleton. Bullet points or mind-maps both welcome.

PROJECT TITLE

A working name that makes you smile—pun, metaphor, or mystery is fine.

OBJECTIVE

One clear sentence: “I want to ___ so that ___.” (If objectives multiply, list them; prune later.)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

60–100 words that paint the essence—try “It’s like X meets Y” or “Imagine if…”

AUDIENCE

Who benefits? Think people, moods, or niches (e.g., “over-stimulated city-dwellers who need micro-escapes”).

METHODOLOGY

A high-level recipe—no step-by-step yet. Name your main ingredients: research, prototypes, interviews, etc.

MILESTONES

Three to five waypoints—e.g., kick-off, mid-course pivot, beta reveal, final share. Add rough dates; they can move.

RESOURCES NEEDED

Tools, software, spaces, mentors, cash, collaborators. A “wish list” plus “what I have now.”

WHAT EXCITES ME

Why does this light you up? Your energy helps tutors guide you when motivation dips.

3 | Zoom In, Zoom Out

  • Zoom In – Pick one milestone and rough-plan this month’s tasks (sketch, storyboard, interview…).

  • Zoom Out – Glance at the whole arc; note any “I might pivot here” moments. Flag them openly—tutors love transparency.

4 | Reality-Check & Refine

  1. Read aloud to spot clunky phrases.

  2. Swap proposals with a peer for a two-minute “I’m curious about…” feedback round.

  3. Tweak for clarity, not perfection. Aim for understandable & exciting, not encyclopaedic.

5 | Hit Send—Then Breathe

  • Submit the version you have today. Future-you will iterate with tutor input.

  • Celebrate: draft ➜ shared equals momentum.

Mini-Template (Copy-Paste Friendly)

PROJECT TITLE:

OBJECTIVE:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

AUDIENCE:

METHODOLOGY:

MILESTONES:

RESOURCES NEEDED:

WHAT EXCITES ME:

faq-How To Complete Your Proposal

Quick-Start Guide: Completing Your Creative Proposal

(a friendly blueprint you can riff on—then remix at will)

1 | Set the Stage – Mind-Friendly Prep

  • Lower the pressure. A proposal is a conversation starter, not a contract. You can—and many students do—change direction once the course begins.

  • Embrace “good-enough drafts.” Get ideas on the page first; polish later.

  • Work in quick bursts. If long sessions are tough, try 10-minute sprints with movement or music breaks.

  • Think in Post-its. One thought per sticky; shuffle until a shape appears. Range of ideas? Perfect—breadth first, editing later.

2 | Fill the Core Blocks

Use the headings below as your skeleton. Bullet points or mind-maps both welcome.

PROJECT TITLE

A working name that makes you smile—pun, metaphor, or mystery is fine.

OBJECTIVE

One clear sentence: “I want to ___ so that ___.” (If objectives multiply, list them; prune later.)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

60–100 words that paint the essence—try “It’s like X meets Y” or “Imagine if…”

AUDIENCE

Who benefits? Think people, moods, or niches (e.g., “over-stimulated city-dwellers who need micro-escapes”).

METHODOLOGY

A high-level recipe—no step-by-step yet. Name your main ingredients: research, prototypes, interviews, etc.

MILESTONES

Three to five waypoints—e.g., kick-off, mid-course pivot, beta reveal, final share. Add rough dates; they can move.

RESOURCES NEEDED

Tools, software, spaces, mentors, cash, collaborators. A “wish list” plus “what I have now.”

WHAT EXCITES ME

Why does this light you up? Your energy helps tutors guide you when motivation dips.

3 | Zoom In, Zoom Out

  • Zoom In – Pick one milestone and rough-plan this month’s tasks (sketch, storyboard, interview…).

  • Zoom Out – Glance at the whole arc; note any “I might pivot here” moments. Flag them openly—tutors love transparency.

4 | Reality-Check & Refine

  1. Read aloud to spot clunky phrases.

  2. Swap proposals with a peer for a two-minute “I’m curious about…” feedback round.

  3. Tweak for clarity, not perfection. Aim for understandable & exciting, not encyclopaedic.

5 | Hit Send—Then Breathe

  • Submit the version you have today. Future-you will iterate with tutor input.

  • Celebrate: draft ➜ shared equals momentum.

Mini-Template (Copy-Paste Friendly)

PROJECT TITLE:

OBJECTIVE:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

AUDIENCE:

METHODOLOGY:

MILESTONES:

RESOURCES NEEDED:

WHAT EXCITES ME:

faq-How To Complete Your Proposal

Quick-Start Guide: Completing Your Creative Proposal

(a friendly blueprint you can riff on—then remix at will)

1 | Set the Stage – Mind-Friendly Prep

  • Lower the pressure. A proposal is a conversation starter, not a contract. You can—and many students do—change direction once the course begins.

  • Embrace “good-enough drafts.” Get ideas on the page first; polish later.

  • Work in quick bursts. If long sessions are tough, try 10-minute sprints with movement or music breaks.

  • Think in Post-its. One thought per sticky; shuffle until a shape appears. Range of ideas? Perfect—breadth first, editing later.

2 | Fill the Core Blocks

Use the headings below as your skeleton. Bullet points or mind-maps both welcome.

PROJECT TITLE

A working name that makes you smile—pun, metaphor, or mystery is fine.

OBJECTIVE

One clear sentence: “I want to ___ so that ___.” (If objectives multiply, list them; prune later.)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

60–100 words that paint the essence—try “It’s like X meets Y” or “Imagine if…”

AUDIENCE

Who benefits? Think people, moods, or niches (e.g., “over-stimulated city-dwellers who need micro-escapes”).

METHODOLOGY

A high-level recipe—no step-by-step yet. Name your main ingredients: research, prototypes, interviews, etc.

MILESTONES

Three to five waypoints—e.g., kick-off, mid-course pivot, beta reveal, final share. Add rough dates; they can move.

RESOURCES NEEDED

Tools, software, spaces, mentors, cash, collaborators. A “wish list” plus “what I have now.”

WHAT EXCITES ME

Why does this light you up? Your energy helps tutors guide you when motivation dips.

3 | Zoom In, Zoom Out

  • Zoom In – Pick one milestone and rough-plan this month’s tasks (sketch, storyboard, interview…).

  • Zoom Out – Glance at the whole arc; note any “I might pivot here” moments. Flag them openly—tutors love transparency.

4 | Reality-Check & Refine

  1. Read aloud to spot clunky phrases.

  2. Swap proposals with a peer for a two-minute “I’m curious about…” feedback round.

  3. Tweak for clarity, not perfection. Aim for understandable & exciting, not encyclopaedic.

5 | Hit Send—Then Breathe

  • Submit the version you have today. Future-you will iterate with tutor input.

  • Celebrate: draft ➜ shared equals momentum.

Mini-Template (Copy-Paste Friendly)

PROJECT TITLE:

OBJECTIVE:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

AUDIENCE:

METHODOLOGY:

MILESTONES:

RESOURCES NEEDED:

WHAT EXCITES ME: