Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot about LOGLINES on different blogs. These little devils are tricky and not easy to write. I speak from experience. My loglines started out darned sucky, they’ve progressed to somewhat satisfactory, and I’m still hoping to write brilliant ones one of these days.
I find these steps help me start.
*Be sure to include your MC, what they need or want and why they can’t get it.
*Don’t name the character in the logline, but clearly identify them.
a zombie
a lizard
a gas station attendant
*Use one adjective to describe your character. Be sure this adjective is unique to that character in the story.
a talented zombie
a heroic lizard
a clairvoyant gas station attendant
*Give the MC’s main goal clearly and succinctly.
A talented zombie wants to perform Hamlet before he’s destroyed.
A heroic lizard must save his community from a Cat.
A clairvoyant gas station attendant must prevent his own murder.
*Tell who/what the antagonist is, but don’t overshadow the MC, so this bit should be short and concise.
A talented zombie must elude his sister, a zealous zombie hunter, so he can perform Hamlet before she destroys him.
A heroic lizard must escape life threatening enemies to save his community from a Cat.
A clairvoyant gas station attendant must track down his killer to prevent his own murder.
There’s more, but I’ll stop here for now. I need to practice this much, then I’ll get back with more ideas about how I’d write that “perfect” logline.
In my Hat’s Off Corner
SAMANTHA GEARY JONES |
CARRIE BUTLER/PK HREZO |
My Quote for the Day
“When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.” Elenore Roosevelt.
Reviews from a Bookworm says
Really brilliant tips! π
Kelly Polark says
These are amazing tips. THank you!!!!
Karen Lange says
I am going to have to give this a try. Can I declare a day off so I can write fun stuff and try things like this? π There will have to be some dark chocolate present too, I'm thinking. For inspiration, you know. π
TBM says
Gosh I want to know more about the lizard saving all of us from the Cat. Cats are evil. Please don't tell my cat I said that. He already hates me π
Editors At Work says
Awesome post. Thanks for sharing!
Arlee Bird says
I'd never heard of a logline until recently. Fun exercise coming up with some.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Stephanie Faris says
Great tips!!! I hadn't even heard the term "logline" until now!
M Pax says
Sounds different from a tagline. But I should write loglines for those 'short' descriptions.
Hilary Melton-Butcher says
Hi Lee – this is great .. something I struggle with – so to have loglines succinctly set out is good news .. cheers Hilary
Crystal Collier says
Awesome post. Definitely one worthy of keeping in the bookmarks.
Melissa says
Good post.
I have to be careful not to get loglines and taglines confused.
Medeia Sharif says
I am saving this. I need all the help I can get with loglines, blurbs, synopses…it's so hard to condense a novel into a few lines.
Ava Quinn says
Great tips! I'm planning on starting with a log line before I write my next book, which should be now, but just haven't had a moment to breathe. Thanks for the timely reminder!
Carol Kilgore says
Great logline tips. I'm not good at writing them either, but they sure to help me stay on track when drafting the story.
Gina Stoneheart says
Great tips, Lee. And I love the quote you shared with your readers. I try to contribute and give back to the world in every way I can because I know how important acts of kindness are to the universe.
Mark Noce says
Interesting ways to approach it. I find that the tension must be there from the get go. And some hope. If I have those two elements in a line, I know I've got it.
Sherry Ellis says
Those are really helpful tips for writing log lines! Thanks!
S.K. Anthony says
Ooh I love this! I'm definitely taking notes π
Loni Townsend says
I like this post! A lot of helpful stuff here. I hadn't thought of throwing an adjective in. I notice all of the final revisions have the word "must". Do you think that's a must?
This is the one I've been playing with:
A woman is abducted by a painter who is obsessed with her.
But that's passive. I'm guessing we should avoid passive log lines as well?
SA Larsenγ says
Using one adjective is always the hardest part for me. I want the world to know so much about said character. It's always a struggle to choose. Thanks for the great tips, CLee!
J.L. Campbell says
Helpful stuff, Lee. I find that I have to think hard to come up with something half decent.
Miranda Hardy says
Wow! These are great tips.
Stephen Tremp says
Oh yeah those log lines are hard to write. I really struggle with them. I usually end up writing three sentences, then replacing the periods with the word and.
Diana Wilder says
Gosh, I'm pitiful! I've been wrestling with synopses and finally came away with my sanity intact. Now I hear of 'loglines'! …But at least I'm lauging like a fool! WHEN will you be coming out with the Heroic Three-Fer (zombie, lizard and gas station attendant)? I'm good for a copy. You aren't? Dang!
Birgit says
I wasn't sure what you meant at first until you gave the descriptions and now I want you to create a story for each one:) I love the quote and it's so true so that means the Kardashians will soon leave us…bring out the bubbly
Shooting Stars Mag says
Nice tips!! I'm not good at shortening something into a simple line.
Jemi Fraser says
Those are awesome tips! I haven't tried a logline yet, but you make me want to try it. π
Christine Rains says
That's awesome. I have a horrible time coming up with loglines. This helps so much. Thank you!
DMS says
What great advice! You really breakdown the logline in a way that makes sense to me. They are tricky. Thanks! π
~Jess
Tara Tyler R says
by george, you've done it! Save the Cat has similar advice, but this is much easier to see in basic steps!! i love it!
Catherine Stine says
Ah, yes, the away you break it down makes it easy to write a logline!
Natalie Aguirre says
You make it sound almost easy. Thanks for the examples.
Denise Covey says
Thanks for the checklist Clem.
Beverly Stowe McClure says
Thanks for these tips. I hate writing loglines. It takes me forever. I'll look at your ideas for the next one.
Michelle Wallace says
This info is great!
From the outline I'm working on, and some of the content, I'm going to practise writing a log line. One of these days. It will be my first. *bites nails*
Hat's Off to the Tree Of Life collaboration. Sam just announced that the book trailer is almost ready for a preview.
And I just finished How I Found The Write Path – it's such a heartfelt collection…
Dianne K. Salerni says
Trying to write a logline like this for one of my WIPs was what clued me in to the fact that I had chosen the wrong main character for the story! A devilishly important thing to discover before I actually started writing!
C. Lee McKenzie says
You bet! Glad you are so smart. You saved yourself tons of time.
DEZMOND says
Now I wanna watch an animated movie about a heroic lizard π Can he have a timid raccoon as his sidekick?
C. Lee McKenzie says
Whatever you want DEZ!
Sarah Foster says
What a great way of breaking the logline down. I'm definitely bookmarking this for the future. Thanks for sharing!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Hope it's helpful.
T. Powell Coltrin says
Great advice/list. I will practice, too.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I'm counting on practice to get better. Fingers crossed.
Patricia Lynne says
Ooo, that actually is super helpful. You had me figuring out log lines for my stories as I read.
C. Lee McKenzie says
This list really helped me when I was struggling. It still helps me because I struggle with loglines all the time.
Madeline Mora-Summonte says
Such a simple and straightforward way to create those dreaded loglines! Thanks for sharing!
Madeline @ The Shellshank Redemption
C. Lee McKenzie says
I like things as simple as possible. My brain can wrap around it so much more easily!
Tyrean Martinson says
Excellent break down on loglines! And, despite not being a fan of Zombies, I might go for story about one that really wants to perform Hamlet. π
C. Lee McKenzie says
I chuckled while writing that one. I'm definitely not a zombie fan, but I love Hamlet!
Angela Brown says
Loglines are the devilish cousin to the Short Synopsis and Query Letter. I think your checklist makes a lot of sense in breaking the logline down in an easy to follow formula.
C. Lee McKenzie says
It's worked for me. I at least have a way to start.
L. Diane Wolfe says
It sounds like a fun way to come up with a story, too.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I use it. If I can't get the logline, I don't write the story.
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
I like that checklist! I have a harder time with the synopsis. (I'm better with fewer words. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you.)
C. Lee McKenzie says
It's the commenter gene, Alex. Very valuable to have that one.