You have finished your book. It took you a year or more, and it is a dream come true. You have done what so few people can do, but now… you have to edit it. You take a few weeks off, sit with the book on your own, and think to yourself, “What exactly does this book need?”
You start conversations with friends and family about the book.
One night, a friend asks you, “So, what did you write about anyway?” Ten minutes later, you’ve given them a full synopsis and explanation of every character arc, complete with three backtracks, two repeats, and a wild-eyed grin. At that moment, you realize your friend has sort of phased out and doesn’t seem particularly interested.
“Well?” you ask.
“Um. It seems fun, I guess?”
You didn’t hook them. Your heart sinks, and you begin to lose all hope of finding the energy to even crack the proverbial cover open and give it an edit. If your friends don’t even care, why should anyone else?
Wrong. They would care, but you overwhelmed them without triggering any sense of adventure, intrigue, joy, sorrow, or anything else. You jumped right in without offering an intellectual appetizer.
What you need is a tagline. In scriptwriting, it’s called a logline. You need a concentrated version of what your story is about—something tight, concise, and simple, but interesting enough to make someone want to read the entire book without knowing anything more.
Examples:
- Amid the chaos of World War II, a group of U.S. soldiers embarks on a perilous mission behind enemy lines to locate and bring home Private James Ryan, whose brothers have been killed in combat, testing their resolve, loyalty, and the meaning of sacrifice. (Saving Private Ryan)
- On the lush alien world of Pandora, a disabled ex-Marine finds himself torn between following orders to exploit the planet's resources and fighting alongside its native inhabitants, the Na'vi, in a battle to protect their home and his newfound purpose. (Avatar)
- A reluctant hobbit embarks on an unexpected adventure with a band of dwarves to reclaim their homeland, facing fierce dragons, dark magic, and a journey that will change his life forever. (The Hobbit)
These may not be the best taglines, but they get the idea across of what they are supposed to be.
Here are a few reasons you should consider getting yourself a line for your book:
First, it can keep you focused. When you can tell yourself—or someone else—what your book is about, you’ll know how to approach the editing process with clarity. Does everything in the piece contribute to your tagline? Did you stay true to the vision you had in the end?
Second, it lets you understand what you’ve written. We can’t always come up with a line like this before we start. Sometimes, we need to take the journey with the characters. Only in retrospect can we determine the core idea that should attract people to this tale.
Lastly, you are almost certainly going to need this singular line one day anyway. Whether you plan to pursue traditional publishing or take the self-publishing route, you’ll need to attract readers, agents, and publishers. Why wait until tomorrow to do what needs doing?
As you move forward with your edits, consider starting from your own ending. Come up with a logline to keep your edits focused and aligned with your vision.
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