The Wattys Boot Camp Mentorship Program is back for 2023! Have you written a story that you plan to submit to the Wattys? If the answer is yes, you've come to the right place. This program helps you prepare your submission to make it the best it can...
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This week in our workshop series we'll be talking about your story's logline.
What is a logline?
The logline is a 1 to 2 line concept of a book or film. Often you will find a logline preceding the blurb, like the appetizer before the main course. You will also see the logline referred to as a 'pitch'.
A book logline should follow this simple format:
Be Original - Be Memorable - Hook Your Reader - Around 30 Words
Quick and easy tips for writing a great logline
A good rule of thumb when writing a logline is to include the main character, their goal, and the obstacle keeping them from that goal. For example:
The protagonist (their name isn't a requirement, just a description will do — An alcoholic surgeon...)
The goal of the protagonist (usually in line with the story's inciting incident — An alcoholic surgeon must fight for his job...)
The antagonist or obstacle (the thing that is keeping them from their goal — An alcoholic surgeon must fight for his job after a disgruntled patient accuses him of malpractice...)
Samples of Loglines
> A lovestruck demigoddess, unaware of her royal status, makes a shocking discovery on her eighteenth birthday and attempts to flee to the underworld with Hades to escape Zeus's wrath.
> A professor of symbology unlocks codes buried in ancient works of art as he hunts for the Holy Grail.
> A dark witch teams up with a handsome vampire when her family's plan to unlock the pages of an ancient grimoire goes awry.
> PI Max Caldwell believes that rules are meant to be broken -- even if that means a whole bunch of hangovers, sex frustrations, and some guys who are just itching to kill her.
📌NOTE: Many Paid Stories on Wattpad start with a logline followed by a series of asterisks (*****). Done well, these 'teasers' can lure readers in before they even make it to the blurb.
See the next chapter, Logline Activity, for instructions on your assignment.
