The document outlines an assignment for a creative writing course focused on researching an independent book publisher to evaluate its suitability for the student's work. It provides steps for selecting a publisher, conducting thorough research across various platforms, and compiling findings into a company profile to share with classmates. The assignment aims to enhance understanding of the independent publishing landscape and foster sharing of information among peers.

1. [Assignment Title]
Page 1
Creative Writing Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Program
ECW3953
Publishing & Distribution
A3 - Research an Independent
Objective:
To
gain
experience
evaluating
a
book
publisher
and
determining
if
your
work
is
a
proper
fit.

2. Introduction:
The
assignment
is
to
research
an
INDEPENDENT
book
publisher
and
report
what
you
learn
to
me
and
share
it
with
the
class
(on
a
discussion
board).
This
assignment

3. will
help
you
determine
what
type
of
information
to
look
for
when
evaluating
a
potential
company
to
work
with
and
expose
you
to
what
Independents
have
to
offer.
By
sharing
your
report
with
the

4. class
(on
a
discussion
board)
you
will
help
us
all
gain
knowledge
about
several
different
Independent
companies.
Between the Big Five book publishers and simply publishing a
book yourself (self-
publishing) are The Independents.
The
terms
"
independent,"
"indie
publisher,"
and
"small

5. press"
are
often
defined
as
producers
that
are
not
part
of
large
conglomerates
or
multinational
corporations.
And
there
is
a
range
of
independents.
The
bigger,
more
distinguished
independents
are
long
established

6. and
have
solid
reputations.
The
mid-­‐sized
independents
have
some
solid
successes,
but
are
still
building
their
reputations.
The
smaller
independents
are
just
starting
up.
Many
Independents
rely
on
specialization

7. in
certain
industry
niches.
Step One: Choose an Independent Book Publisher
You
may
find
an
Independent
on
your
own
or
choose
one
from
the
lists
below.
If
you
find
one
on
your
own,
make

8. sure
it
is
an
INDEPENDENT
company
and
not
a
subsidiary
owned
by
one
of
the
major
industry
companies.
The
big
question
you
are
trying
to
answer
with
this
is:
Is
this

9. company
a
good
fit
for
you
and
your
work?
Not
only
would
they
be
interested
in
what
you
write,
but
also,
would
you
want
them
to
handle
your
work?

10. [Assignment Title]
Page 2
Creative Writing Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Program
You
can
find
lists
of
Independent
Book
Publishers
on
the
following
sites:
New
Pages
www.newpages.com/book-­‐publishers/

11. Every
Writers
Resource
(Great
Category
Lists)
http://www.everywritersresource.com/bookpublishers/
Science
Fiction,
Horror,
Fantasy
Book
Publishers
-­‐
http://www.everywritersresource.com/sciencefictionbookpublish
ers.html
Poets
&
Writers:

12. (Has
search
filters)
http://www.pw.org/small_presses
Duotrope:
(Great
search
filters,
but
only
offers
a
7-­‐day
free
trial
before
you
pay)
https://duotrope.com/
Step Two: Research the Independent Film/TV Production
Company, Game

13. Developer, or Book/Comic Publisher
Do
your
best
to
find
the
answers
to
the
following
questions.
You
might
not
be
able
to
find
answers
for
them
all,
but
search
far
and
wide
and
do
your
best.

14. Use
the
company’s
website
as
your
primary
source,
but
also
research
the
publisher
on
Wikipedia,
blogs,
and
discussion
boards,
and
industry
websites.
Using
only
the
company's
website
for
information
will
tell

15. you
only
what
they
want
you
to
know.
Using
other
websites
to
learn
about
the
publisher
and
their
reputation
might
reveal
issues
or
problems
or
even
reveal
they
are
somehow
a
scam
and
out

16. to
rip
you
off.
Name
of
the
company?
Date/Year
established?
Approximate
number
of
titles
(books)?
What
type
of
material
do
they
produce?
(Type,
Genre/Niche,
Style)?

17. Do
you
like
the
genre/subject
matter
of
their
other
products?
How
do
they
distribute
their
products?
Where
can
you
buy
their
products?
Do
you
like
the
art

18. work
(promotional
materials,
photos,
covers,
layouts)
for
their
products?
Would
you
read
them?
Which
ones?
[Assignment Title]
Page 3
Creative Writing Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Program
What
kind
of
Marketing
and
Publicity

19. support
do
they
offer
for
their
products?
(Search
on
a
Title
and
see
what
you
find.
Reviews?
Trailers?
Ads?
Web
Sites?
Interviews?)
Are
there
any
positive/negative
comments/articles
about
them

20. on-­‐line?
Any
angry
employees
or
writers?
(check
them
out
on
http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/index.htm)
Any
chatter
about
them
on
blogs
or
discussion
boards?
Do
they
work
with
new
writers?

21. Does
it
say
if
you
need
to
contact
them
through
an
agent?
Is
the
company
currently
open
to
Submissions?
If
not,
when?
What
is
their
submission
process?
How
do

22. they
want
you
to
submit
it?
What
kind
of
package
do
they
want
you
to
submit
to
them?
Is
there
a
word
count
requirement?
What
is
their
expected
response

23. time?
Any
contract/terms
details?
Is
this
company
a
good
fit
for
you
and
your
work?
Not
only
would
they
be
interested
in
what
you
write,
but
also,
would
you
want

24. them
to
handle
your
work?
Step Three: Prepare Your Research as a "Company Profile" you
could submit to
industry magazines or industry blogs.
1. Prepare
your
research
as
a
short
feature
article
(double-­‐spaced
document
and
APA
formatted
references).
DO
NOT
simply
list
the
questions
and
answers.

25. Cite
your
sources
and
include
a
reference
page.
The
tone
should
be
conversational
–
not
too
formal
or
too
casual.
I
want
a
professional
conversational
tone
like
you
would
use

26. with
colleagues
at
a
conference,
rather
than
a
stiff
and
formal
report.
When
you
talk
with
other
people
in
your
industry,
you
need
to
have
a
basic
knowledge
of
the
companies
you
are
interested

27. in
and
be
able
to
discuss
them.
(Not
only
is
it
good
info
for
you
to
know,
but
writers
give
these
little
informal
reports
to
each
other
all
the
time.
It's
how
we
learn

28. about
other
companies
and
publications.
"I
submitted
to
XYZ."
"Really,
I
haven't
heard
of
them."
"Oh,
they
are
great.
Blah,
blah,
blah...")
But
do
cite
your
sources!
2. Include
a
cover

29. page
with
your
name,
the
class,
the
title
of
the
assignment,
and
the
date.
[Assignment Title]
Page 4
Creative Writing Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Program
3. Include
a
reference
page
listing
your
sources.

30. Step Four: Save, Export, and Upload your Work to TurnItIn—
Due Before Sunday at
11:59pm ET
Submit
the
double-­‐spaced
document
and
APA
formatted
references
into
TurnItIn.
Label
your
file
as:
“YourLastName_IndieResearch.doc”.
HAVE
A

31. PROBLEM?
CALL
TURN
IT
IN
SUPPORT
866-­‐816-­‐5046
X
241
Please
upload
all
assignments
to
Turn
It
In
as
Word
Documents.
Step Five: Share Your Research With the Class.
Sharing
your
research
with
the
class
will
help

32. us
all
gain
knowledge
about
several
different
Independent
companies.
1. Post
your
report
on
the
“Independents
Research”
discussion
board
to
share
your
research
with
your
fellow
students.

33. Review the Rubric attached below to understand how you will
be graded.
This assignment is worth 7 points.
[Assignment Title]
Page 5
Creative Writing Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Program
Criterion Superior
4 Points
Above
Average
3 Points
Average
2 Points
Below
Average
1 Point
Failing
0 Points
Quality of

34. Content
20 %
• Exceeded
expectations
• Insightful, fresh,
stimulating
perspectives
• Richly detailed &
creative
• Met expectations
• A few original ideas
• Adequately detailed
• Merely repeated
information from resources
• A few original ideas
• Missing details
• Revealed little
understanding of objective
or requirements
• Missing detail
• Did not
complete
Research &
Resources
20 %
• Included several
sources
• Sources highly

35. relevant
• Sources thoroughly
cited with quotation
marks, in-text citation,
and a reference
• Included a few sources
• Sources relevant
• Sources cited with
quotation marks, in-text
citations, and a
reference
• Included two sources, but
not useful or appropriate
• Sources not properly cited
consistently with quotation
marks, in-text citations, and
a reference
• Included only 1 source
• Sources are not cited
correctly or consistently
• Sources are not cited
correctly on Reference
Page
• Did not
complete
Script
20 %
• Information flows
logically and naturally.
•Presented with

36. authority.
• Reference Page
included
• Information flow is
mostly logical and
natural.
• Reference Page
included
• Information flow is in a
prose format.
• Reference Page included
• Information is presented
as a Q&A list of details.
• Sources are not cited
correctly on Reference
Page
• Did not
complete
• No reference
page
Presentation
20 %
• Professionally
polished
• All APA Guidelines
are followed
• Professionally polished
with one minor error

37. • All APA Guidelines are
followed
• Somewhat polished with
2 or 3 errors in
presentation
• APA Guidelines were
attempted
• Sloppy presentation
• APA Guidelines were not
attempted
• Did not
complete
Technical
20 %
• No technical errors in
spelling, grammar,
punctuation,
capitalization, etc.
• Work shows mastery
of writing
• Minor technical errors
that do not interfere with
writing flow
• Work shows
understanding of writing
• Minor technical errors that
do not interfere with writing
flow
• Work shows basic

38. understanding of writing
• Technical errors to the
point of distraction
•Work shows little
understanding of writing
• Did not
complete