A logline and a tag line are two different things, but they both serve to get people interested in your story. One talks about the story plot; the other reveals its tone. Yet both should hook a reader to want more. Let’s look into each of these lines and how to create them.
Tag Lines
A tag line is a catchy phrase, usually ten words or less, that grabs a reader’s attention. These are often displayed on book covers or movie posters. It’s an added hook that makes a person want to look further into the story. A tag line usually embodies the tone of the story. Its purpose is to evoke emotion and intrigue.
Examples
- Remember, it’s only a game. (Caraval)
- 35 girls. 1 crown. The competition of a lifetime. (The Selection)
- We all have demons. Clare wants hers back. (The Good Demon)
- She came from nothing. They have everything. Let the games begin. (The Inheritance Games)
- Let me be clear, I never intended to raise my brother from his grave… (The Bone Witch)
How To Create A Tag Line
There isn’t a specific formula for crafting a tag line for your story. The point is to evoke emotion and curiosity, and you can do that in many ways. You can ask a question. Make a phrase that is a play on words. Create a sentence that contradicts itself somehow so people want to know more. You must keep it simple and use evocative words. It’s also important to evoke the emotion of your genre. If you are writing horror, make the tag line scary. A mystery story should have a tag line that makes readers curious, and a fantasy one needs to hint at something magical and wondrous. Remember, tag lines are about emotions so make your line evoke one in the reader.
It’s important not to make tag lines too vague or cliche though. A tag line like “the world’s fate rests in her hands” is not going to grab anyone’s attention. It’s doesn’t give a sense of genre or emotion, and it’s formed from a common cliche. However, you can subvert the cliche and make it a catchy tagline: the word’s fate rests in her paws. We took something expected and changed the last word to create something odd and surprising. Depending on the book cover, this story could be a fantasy about a race of feline people or a children’s book about a superhero dog. The key is to remember to make your tag line unique and make people pause to think about it.
Loglines
A logline is a sentence or two, usually under thirty words, that describes the story’s premise. These are typically used to get an agent’s or editor’s attention, but they can be used as a quick pitch to a reader too. The idea is to get them to understand what your story is about while perking their interest. A logline’s purpose is to be descriptive and a plot hook.
Examples
- A sixteen-year-old huntress volunteers to take her sister’s place in a publicized life-or-death game where only one of twenty-four children will survive. (The Hunger Games)
- A detective investigates a seemingly wholesome member of the community when an 11-year-old boy’s body is found. (The Outsider)
- An allegory on the high seas, in which a teenage boy and a 450-pound tiger are thrown together in a lifeboat as the only survivors of a shipwreck. (Life of Pie)
- After discovering a bewitching novel in an ancient labyrinth, a young bibliophile must unravel the author’s mysterious disappearance before a murderous book collector burns every single copy. (The Shadow of the Wind)
- In a future city where a civil war is raging, a fugitive hacker must try to stop a computer virus from destroying the city and its inhabitants. (The Hive Construct)
How To Create A Logline
Unlike tag lines, loglines do have a formula to follow. These lines are supposed to give the story premise but not give away any plot reveals. There are four key elements to a logline, and they are usually listed in the order shown below. However, sometimes they do vary, but all loglines will contain these four details about the story.
Protagonist
You should not name the character (unless the point is you are writing about someone famous and that’s part of the draw). You want to give an adjective and a descriptive noun for the character. For instance, a small-town baker or a cunning magician.
Conflict
You also need to mention the conflict, or inciting incident, that gets the story moving at the start. This should be the kickoff to the major conflict your protagonist will struggle with the entire story.
Goal
The protagonist’s goal also needs to be mentioned in the logline. What is she striving to achieve that links with the conflict you mentioned earlier.
Stakes
Putting the stakes in the logline is like telling people why they should care. If the protagonist doesn’t get her goal, what will happen? Stakes help attach a value to the story.
Comparing Tag Lines and Loglines
Now that we’ve gone through tag lines and loglines, let’s compare some movie ones to see how they differ.
Speed
A young police officer (protagonist) must prevent a bomb exploding abroad a city bus (conflict/goal/stakes) by keeping its speed above 50 miles per hour.
You’ll notice that the conflict, goal, and stakes are all wrapped into one part of the sentence. That’s great, if you can condense it and get your point across clearly. The less words, the more likely you’ll be able to hold the person’s attention long enough to finish.
Get ready for rush hour.
This tag line alone may seem a bit cliche, but when paired with the title, Speed, it provides a contradiction that is intriguing. Everyone knows rush hour is the opposite of speed. The thought is just interesting enough to read the movie summary to learn more.
Back to the Future
A young man (protagonist) is transported to the past (conflict) where he must reunite his parents (goal) before he and his future cease to exist (stakes).
This is a perfect example of how to use the four elements to clearly spell out the story premise. My only complaint is the protagonist is a “young man” and not something more descriptive. But, when you have such an interesting plot laid out in the rest of the sentence, I guess the vague protagonist can be excused.
He’s the only kid ever to get into trouble before he was born.
That sentence alone had me going, “what?” If I didn’t know anything about the movie, I’d be reading the summary to learn how that could even work. It’s a great contradiction that gets the curiosity flowing.
Alien
I wanted to throw this one in here to show that some rules were meant to be broken. I don’t recommend doing it, but some loglines are so affected in just three words.
Jaws in space.
I’ve heard some other people use this method for a logline as well. Pride and Prejudice with magic (Shades of Milk and Honey). Pocahontas in space (Avatar). Hamlet with lions (The Lion King). You can follow this formula as well, but it only works for stories that heavily lean on another story as inspiration.
I’ll end by giving you the best tag line ever created…in my opinion. The emotion in this one sentence takes my breath away.
In space, no one can hear you scream.
Final Thoughts
I hope this has been helpful as you think of ways to get people interested in your story. Loglines are good when you attend events and have a table where you want to sell your book. If you can get readers’ attention, they may buy one. And, of course, loglines are perfect for getting an agent’s or editor’s interest as well. Tag lines are more for marketing in print. Put them on book covers, movie posters, promotional signs or videos. Tag lines exist to make people click the link or pick up the book. Then you’ll have to rely on your logline or book blurb to sell the book.
Thanks for reading!
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