Hi Kathryn,

It was explained to me that the logline should try to cover those five points.

The tagline is a short phrase, something to capture attention and imagination. Some examples: "One ring to rule them all." - Lord of the Rings, "May the odds be forever in your favor." - The Hunger Games
The logline is a summary. Tagline is a catchphrase.

I wonder if I should write an article on taglines?

Thank you for your question!

So now I’m confused. Is it true that the tagline should be a short one or two sentence statement:
“When abandoned by his father, John sets out to justify his existence.”
And that the log line should be longer and follow the five steps you set out in the article?

Hi Kathryn,

In my opinion, you have a good start. I suggest including the stakes. What does Jon risk if he doesn't follow through?

When I work on a logline I use the 5 steps mentioned in the article. If you belong to a critique group, you can bring the logline in and get their thoughts. More eyes-on is a good thing.

Thank you, Denise! I'm glad you've found the information useful.

Alicia, getting these things just so is really tricky. Yours read well! Sounds like an interesting book.

Panic changes everything! The brain just doesn't work well in that mode. My suggestion is to write out what you want to say and state it aloud in front of other people that know you well until you get comfy. It gets easier.

Remember that you are awesome, Lisa!

This is what I have right now (I've been writing this story since 2000):

Logline:
To safeguard a powerful actor, a damaged writer must first salvage herself.

Pitch:
When a reclusive bestselling novelist crosses paths with the rising actor of his generation, she finds her capacity for obsession is not dead. The friendship that develops when his next movie films near her rural refuge, and he fulfills his promise to visit, creates a challenging bond that threatens to destroy her. But when America’s Sweetheart decides she’s the one who will engender with him Hollywood’s supreme dynasty, can the writer navigate the razor’s edge from friendship to forever love, and save his unborn children?

Thanks for bringing up this perennial - and critical - topic; hard to get these just right!