The Logline: Your Novel in Fifty Words or Fewer

Think you can't summarize your novel in fifty words or fewer? You can. You must.

This post is part of the Outline With Me series. For more like this, check out the outlining your novel page.

You did it! You've finally decided to write that novel you've been talking about forever, but now you have to actually get that premise onto the page. Where to begin?

Opinions vary, but I, for one, am a planner if nothing else. If you're a planner, too, then reducing your novel's premise to a logline might be a great place to start—before you put a single word into your manuscript itself.

What's a logline? Simply put, a logline is a fifty-words-or-fewer overview of the premise for your book. Sound impossible? It's not!

If you stick to the formula below, I promise you'll become a logline pro in no time.

The Formula

Though we'll be operating under the assumption that you're creating a logline to help yourself explore the premise of your story for your own purposes, some of the tips included are also meant to help you prepare for using this logline as part of your pitch to agents or editors at some point down the road (assuming you choose to go that route).

Essentially, any logline resembles something like the following.

"In a world where [x], [character] must [act] before [deadline] or [consequence]."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," you say. "I came here for writing tips, not an algebra lecture."

Alright, fine. But putting your tail between your legs and heading for the hills at the first sign of adversity isn't what your main character is going to do, right? Be like your main character. You, too, can overcome (or at least try).

Let's break down each of the components above, using examples from my current WIP as of the date of this post, and the novel I plan on writing once completed with this one.

"In a world where [x]..."