Monday, December 26, 2011

From the Archive: Loglines - setting the right tone


Originally posted in February 2011.

And now for another lesson from Star Wars (Btw, I use SW for two reasons: 1. it's a classic hero's journey most people have seen  and 2.  my 3 year-old watches it ALL day long)

A logline, or the one line pitch, is a simple way to tell your story using, you guessed it, one line.  You need a logline.  It's your go-to answer at dinner parties, conferences, the grocery store.  But while it may be tempting to say "Luke goes on a quest across the universe to stop bad guys," please refrain.   Your logline should be concise but still convey something about your novel.

Is it funny?

When a farm boy buys two robots, he stumbles into a cross-galaxy quest to save a princess with the help of an old man, a con artist, and a huge dog.

Is it scary?

When a ruthless lord builds a machine that destroys planets, Luke Skywalker must find a way to destroy it before innocent millions are killed.

Is it romantic?

When a beautiful princess broadcasts a call for help, Luke Skywalker is compelled across the galaxy to save her.

What's your logline?

2 comments:

  1. When an assassin's son goes into witness protection, he's surprised to learn his secret isn't the biggest one in town.

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