Since
my greatest talent does not lie in writing taglines…or loglines…or synopses…or
pitches…I started writing them down, to see if I could learn anything. I thought my fellow writers might find the
examples interesting.
Through the Fog by Michael C. Grumley
(asks
a rhetorical question, uses classic adjective-noun descriptions of characters)
After
she loses everyone that she loves, Mikayla struggles to find a new forever
More than This by Jay McLean
(names
a character, hints at backstory, genre, conflict)
A
gripping tale of seduction and survival in the court of King Henry VIII
A Love Most Dangerous by Martin Lake
(establishes
setting and main premise, uses no verbs, praises itself)
Marked by Sarah Fine
(plays
on the popularity of a trendy genre, gives setting, hints at what’s at stake)
You
may know their faces—but you don’t know their dangerous, deadly secrets
Ourselves by S.G. Redling
(second
person, fairly generic—may apply to about 40% of novels—but still intriguing)
Her
secret admirer: a world traveler with a
sense of humor—and a job to kill for
Ice Man Cometh by C.T. Wente
(specific,
clever description of one character, a hint of intrigue)
A
murdered angel, an elusive hero—just another day for Gideon and Sirius
Unknown
(humor,
quick character descriptions, hints of genre, no verbs)
The Glassblower by Petra Durst-Benning
(past
tense, unusual topic)
When
hard evidence points to you, how do you clear your name?
Unknown
(second
person rhetorical question with high stakes)
He
must choose between love and loyalty, paying with either his heart…or his life.
Unknown
(The
hard choice. Generic but intriguing)
A
girl with a clockwork heart must make every second count
Ticker by Lisa Mantchev
(clever
wordplay, hints of sci-fi, hints of urgency)
A
medieval killer and his current-day copycat terrorize the walled city of Zons
Fatal Puzzle by Catherine Shepherd
(intriguing
premise, setting)
More:
Benjamin
thought he couldn’t feel anymore…until Charlie came along
Unknown
Beneath
a picturesque New Orleans mansion lurks a deadly force
The Vines by Christopher Rice
In
search of a missing boy, a DEA agent ends up on the run.
Unknown
One
man fights to regain his family’s land—and win the woman he loves
Deepest Roots of the Heart by Chautona Havig
How
well do you really know those closest to you?
Never Smile at Strangers by Jennifer Jaynes
Years
after her sister’s murder, Detective Crosswhite fights to find the truth.
My Sister’s Grave by Robert Dugoni
All
the rules I’ve read about writing taglines and loglines are both exemplified
and contradicted here—which seems to be the case with rules about writing
queries and blurbs too. But the main
advice still holds true: make your readers
want to read the book.
And
perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned from this came from the examples
I jotted down without noting the book title, and then later couldn’t find. Once
you have a tagline you like, make sure people can find it online. Use it everywhere you can: your website, blog, Facebook, guest posts,
Amazon/Goodreads/B&N descriptions…whatever and whenever you can. Then, prospective readers who may not
remember your name or title but who remember part of your hopefully memorable tagline
can Google it to find your book. Make
your tagline work for you.
Melinda Brasher writes short stories, travel articles, and YA novels. She loves the crunch of snow and the smell of old books. She's currently living in the Czech Republic teaching English. To see a little of this beautiful country, visit her online: http://www.melindabrasher.com/
Melinda Brasher writes short stories, travel articles, and YA novels. She loves the crunch of snow and the smell of old books. She's currently living in the Czech Republic teaching English. To see a little of this beautiful country, visit her online: http://www.melindabrasher.com/
