What exactly is a log line?
Well, think about this:
You’re chatting with the barista at your favorite coffee house about the extra hot, skinny hazelnut mocha no whip you just can’t start your day without and who sidles up beside you to order?
The agent of your dreams.
A reader of exactly your type of work.
Your heart pounds and your hands shakes.
Your mouth apparently can no longer form words.
What the hell is your story about?
Get it out. Get it out!
A crafty, well-thought out log line would save the day.
But what’s a log line and why do writers use them?
First, it is a pretty essential part of your marketing plan and author brand.
It’s the best way to hook someone into your story because it gives the downlow very quickly.
Second, a log line is basically a summary of your story in two sentences or less, giving the main conflict and obstacles.
Bottom line is that if you can’t hook them in less than 20 seconds (or the length of an elevator ride), you won’t ever hook them.
Here are the only three tips you’ll ever need to create the best log line:
- 25 words or less. The fewer words the better.
- Include 4 main parts: protagonist, goal, conflict, antagonist
- Answer this: Who is trying to get what and why can’t she have it?
I’m not guaranteeing your log line will gain you an agent or a new reader, but at least you won’t be breathing in your coffee beans and blowing your shot at landing one or the other.
So dig in there and craft your best!