TAGLINE Critique ... now!

It's the first Thursday of December and we've decided to offer up some tagline - a/k/a log line - critiques.  Do you have yours all polished and ready?  'Cause we're ready to help your tag lines really soar.

Photo by ismellsheep in WANA Commons

Leave your one-sentence tag line in the comments and we'll drop in through the day to leave you some feedback.  We can't wait to see what you've got for us!

Need more examples?  Here are a few:

Just before the outbreak of World War II, an adventuring archaeologist named Indiana Jones races around the globe to single-handedly prevent the Nazis from turning the greatest archaeological relic of all time into a weapon of world conquest.                                                                                                                                (Raiders of the Lost Ark)

A young man and woman from different social classes fall in love aboard an ill-fated voyage at sea. (Titanic)

Having been recently dumped for the nineteenth time by a girl named Katherine, recent high school graduate and former child prodigy Colin sets off on a road trip with his best friend to try to find some new direction in his life.

(An Abundance of Katherines)

Alright, now share yours!  Go!

Whoseywhatsit Thursday: TAGLINES

Taglines are another alleyway authors utilize to attract the interest of agents, editors, publishers, and readers to their stories. They give a glimpse into storyworld and character, but just enough to tug at the heartstrings of intrigue and curiosity.

Here are a few examples from books and movies I'm sure you'll recognize:

• A 17th Century tale of adventure on the Caribbean Sea where the roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow joins forces with a young blacksmith in a gallant attempt to rescue the Governor of England's daughter and reclaim his ship. (Pirates of the Caribbean)
• When seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not human. (Twilight)
• Having fallen for a human boy, a beautiful teenage werewolf must battle both her packmates and the fear of the townspeople to decide where she belongs and with whom. (Of Blood and Chocolate)

Find these little puppies difficult to create? Need some insight into one of your taglines, or want help starting? Then mark your calendars for our next Whoseywhatsit Thursday, December 6th, where you can simply leave your tagline of one or two sentences in the comments and we'll give you a critique as a response. 

So, how does one condense an 80,000 word work into one to two sentences? I won't tell you it's easy. But if you adopted a simple view of the process, you will find success. Find the skeleton of your story:

• Who is the main character?
• What does he/she want? What is the goal?
• What are the inner and outer obstacles blocking their way?
• What makes this unique? 

There, that should at least give you a headstart. And don't forget to tell your friends about next Thursday!!