Screenwriting : Am I the only screenwriter who posts scripts with their logline on their wall? by Roberta M Roy

It's a good reminder for the genesis of your story.

Nope. I do, Roberta M Roy. :)

Heck, no, Roberta! I post scripts along with their loglines, too!

Is a logline similar to an outline??

I want to but I be thinking I need to copyright it first

No, a log line tells the reader in 35 words your whole story including your protagonist without mentioning their name, the inciting incident, the protagonists goal and the central conflict. Here is my log line for my story Boy Blue.

A warehouse worker struggles to raise his infant daughter in spartan conditions while pursuing his dream of being a professional jazz musician while his marriage crumbles and his wife’s mental state deepens.

The warehouse worker (Protagonist) His wife's mental state (Inciting Incident) His dream of being a professional jazz musician (Protagonists Goal) Raising his infant daughter in spartan conditions and his marriage crumbling (Central Conflict).

Nah. I started doing that with my outline

To Kim Mcgoldrick, No. A log line is not the same as an outline. Think of an outline as the bones of our story. You can see what bones connects to what other bone to then have a structural to guide the assembly of your script. A log line in a short description of the importance of why I should care about those bones and the flesh you will attach to them. It is what you say when someone asks, “What’s your story about?” and your answer in 35 words of less is the log line. If a screenwriter has a clear idea od what the story is, then it will be expressed in clear, concise, and intriguing logline. An example is this from the SciFy Independence Day/ “They arrived on July 2nd, on the 3rd, they attacked, July 4th came, Independence Day.”

I have a coupla scripts and loglines posted...

I agree that an outline is the bones of a story, James, but that "Independence Day" logline is a tagline. A logline is like:

“After ______ (the inciting incident/the event that sets the plot in motion), a _______ (an adjective and the protagonist's position/role) tries to/attempts to/fights to/struggles to/strives to/sets out to/fights/battles/engages in/participates/competes/etc. _______ (goal of story) so/in order to ________ (stakes).”

The inciting incident can also be at the end of the logline: “A _______ (an adjective and the protagonist's position/role) tries to/attempts to/fights to/struggles to/strives to/sets out to/fights/battles/engages in/participates/competes/etc. _______ (goal of story) so/in order to ________ (stakes) after ______ (the inciting incident/the event that sets the plot in motion).”

I'm so glad I asked about posting scripts with loglines as I thought that there would be an indication on each writer's wall as to which loglines were accompanied by scripts, but to find out if it has a script appended, you have to click on the logline.

Hi Roberta, the executives we work with often browse loglines here in the community when looking for material. That’s why we always highly recommend your logline is polished. Plus, make sure you are visible commenting on other people’s loglines with advice and support. Our executives will be able to see you when they are searching and click to your profile to see what you write.

Maurice Vaughan I hope you don't mind if I use that in my notes? This is extremely helpful.

Yeah, you can use it, Marcel Nault Jr.

Thank you, Amanda. Nice guidance!

So grateful to those who wrote to me on ways to improve When COVID Came. Came my best. Revised effort posted on my wall.