Log line
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A logline or log line is a brief one-sentence synopsis of the entire story. It is one of your answers if you ever happen to find yourself in an elevator with a publisher and they ask you what your story is about.
Loglines have the unenviable task of presenting big ideas in a dense package including introducing a likable main character, a world worth exploring, and the main conflict which will drive the plot.
A logline is not a tagline. An example of a tagline is "In space, no one can hear you scream". A tagline does not say anything about the structure of the story. An effective logline indicates how well a story holds up when extraneous details are shaved away, as well as the skill of the writer to boil down the story to its key parts.
Techniques and Strategy
Find these elements in your story and weave them into a sentence:
1. Main character. Their personality and desire.
2. Inciting incident. Unique to your world and genre.
3. Main conflict. What is stopping your MC from achieving their desires.
A basic example:
1. A shy boy who has a crush.
2. Their crush becomes their new stepsibling.
3. Bruh.
"I'm too shy to talk to my crush but all of a sudden my parents adopted my crush as my new stepsibling and none them know my secret."
Examples from Visual Novels
Some examples from Spooktober VN Jam entries:
- Undo the Mustache Curse, Witch! (Spooktober 2023)
The princess has been mustachioed, and the royal ball is tomorrow!
We can get the general of the main character just from "princess". The inciting incident of a royal ball happening implies a world set in royalty or aristocracy. "Mustachioed" might be a silly word but we can infer that it is not something a regal princess would want happening so close to an important event, as well as hinting at a comedic undertone.
- No Body To Go With (Spooktober 2023)
You are a sad, poorly drawn ghost. You want to go to the Spooky Ball, but you have nobody to go with!
The main character is described comedically with an understandable desire. The inciting incident of a spooky ball hints at the kind of spoopy world this story will take place in. The ghost's inability to find a date foreshadows the plot points the story could take.
- Spectral Phantasy (Spooktober 2022)
Trapped in a haunted house with a cute ghost boy?!
The word "cute" implies the main character's romantic inclinations. The inciting incident of being trapped in a haunted house tells us about the unique setting the story will take place in. The main character may have wanted to leave the scary haunted house but now there is a reason to stay.
- Kingdom Of The Ants (Spooktober 2022)
A visual poem of doom.
Players may be interested in this if they enjoy poetry and horror but it is unclear what direction the story will go in. This is more like a tagline.
