Here are a few examples of loglines from movies you might recognize (and they’ll also hint at how old I am):Ī small time boxer gets a once in a lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect. Writing a logline can help you see potential problems or gaps within your story that will need addressing in order to get you back on the right track. If you can’t write a good one, it may not be the logline that’s the problem, but your story itself. So it’s always good to have a logline prepared.Īnother good reason to write a logline is because it defines your story. It comes up unexpectedly, and if you’re not prepared, it can catch you off guard. The tricky thing is…this question is usually an impromptu one.
Sometimes they’ll be other important people, like potential readers who might buy your book if it catches their fancy. Loglines are important because people will always be asking you: What’s your book about? Sometimes, those people will be influential folks, like editors, agents, publishers, etc. What Is a Logline?Ī logline is a one- or two-sentence pitch that explains what your story is about in a way that makes listeners want to read it.
We haven’t talked much about this at the blog, so I wanted to briefly discuss what a logline is and why you should have one. I’ve been thinking recently about loglines and why every author should have one for his/her story.