Hook 'em with a Logline

Logline/Hook Blogfest is brought to us by  The Time Guardian  Check out the blog to see the other entires and read more.    

In light of the topic and the fact that the purpose of this blog is to talk about writing topics in general, I'm going to talk about loglines and hooks. If you just want to read my hooks go to the end of the post, they're down there somewhere. Let's consider a few things first.

What is a logline/hook?

Industry standards have defined it, and most seem to agree, that a logline is a summary sentence that describes the entire book in 1-2 sentences. Correction: That describes the main plot of the book and main character in 1-2 sentences in order to grab the attention of the listener. Looking at it that way instead of saying the book in its entire 200 some page form is a little easier to swallow in pill form.

The listener will vary. It could be an elusive editor, agent, publisher, or grandma (if yours is like mine and doesn't understand anything about publishing or writing books). This is the shortest description possible because sometimes that's all you get. Like the first sentence of a speech, essay (when done correctly) it has to hook the audience, grab their attention and make them want need yearn to know more.

Many people have talked about this topic. What it is and then they list different loglines from movies (as the logline is an important item for a script writer) showing how they work, and how little changes make a big difference. But I'm going to diverge from that approach and instead go with something I know. Public Speaking (Yes, I am a shy writer and don't care for giving speeches but I have 8 years of practice competing in speech and debate. I also have a minor in communication.)

The first paragraph of a speech, or one of the first several paragraphs of an essay, is supposed to have a thesis statement. This statement sums up the main point no matter how long the speech or paper/essay are because even the 200 page thesis for a Master's degree can include these couple of sentences. The goal is to sum up the topic in general. The way we would teach the speech format to the public speaking classes at the University is this: Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them it and then tell them what you told them. That is what the introduction, body and conclusion do in their simple forms. The introduction format is the "hook" that is an entertaining introduction to grab the audiences attention. Then there is the thesis statement that sums up the main point, and then there are the sub points described (often three but not always). The logline is a combination of the hook and the thesis statement.

For more advice and examples on writing loglines check out these sites:
http://www.writersstore.com/article.php?articles_id=231
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2009/02/writing-loglinethe-one-sentence-pitch.html
http://davidmacinnisgill.com/2009/08/01/how-to-write-a-log-line/
http://www.archetypewriting.com/articles/QTers/logline_MM.htm



Blogfest Entry: Read Here and don't forget to check out the other entries at the above listed blog.

Rules of the blogfest: "Create a single sentence description of your novel. And don’t try to cram 13 semicolons and another half-dozen commas in to squeeze your logline into the 1 sentence rule. If you can’t speak your logline in a single breath, it’s too long.
One additional note: each participant can post up to five (5) different versions of their logline. That way we can all comment on our favorite of the bunch, what worked/didn’t work, and why."

And I'm not following all the rules. I've seen people post in blogfests long enough to know that the "rules" aren't always strict. I'm going to post loglines for different novels. Some have more than one logline while others I'm just posting one. My main reason for doing this is to practice since only 2 of the novels have finished first drafts, one is in rewriter and the other waiting. The other book's first draft is in progress, a slow progress. And instead of talking about each novel. I'm just going to post the loglines and see what reactions they get. Enjoy!


Tattle Tell

Ephram has been a snitch to the Suits ever since he can remember, but when he discovers his new best friend is a mutant he must decide between friendship and the consequences of life as a tattle tale.

Standing Ground

All Noah wants is to be normal and never use his mutation again, but when his family and boyfriend are kidnapped he's forced to risk exposure to save the ones he loves.

Fallen (still needs a real title)

Angels and demons don't get along, let alone date, but no one told Elijah and Lucas that. (Not the real logline, but I kind of like it at this moment so I'm keeping it in this blog post.)

Lucas believes everything good ended when he became a demon; until he falls in love and must fight to keep his relationship. But can a nice guy make it as a demon in Detroit?

As an angel, Elijah is bored with the monotony until one night he searches for sin and instead finds love... with a male demon.

XXY (Not the title, just the pre-title since I haven't even started writing this one yet.)

It's hard to be a teenager and even harder for someone born both male and female. Taylor's life is a struggle with no friends, parents that don't understand, and having to pick which gender is the right one.


Sekrit Novel

Ha Ha

I'm not telling!
*giggles*