LOGLINES FOR FICTION

By Omer Barkay

Sitting down with a storybook is one of the only times when you get to immerse yourself in a world you can hold in your hands yet can’t fully comprehend. Literacy is both a joy and a passion, but it must be executed well. In this excerpt of my knowledge on writing, I would like to share a nonfiction---about fiction!

Comingupwithan Idea

Before you go ahead pouring all your thoughts onto a type or laptop, you must first be sure that you’re not just writing for the sake of writing. You should have a unique, never-been-done-before idea that can really interest readers. I like to think of finding an idea like being on a cooking game show. You want to come up with something original and surprise the judges, but you may want to stick to some recipes you already know for certain parts of your meal. Find something that you see yourself going to a library and picking up thinking

“Ooh, this looks interesting.”

Whatisalogline?

Because you only get so much time to hook a potential publisher/agent, you have to come up with a logline. This is a short 1-2 sentence summary of your idea that authors use to build up their book. The logline is comprised of 1-5 things, your level, POV,tense, genre,and lastly, your idea.Not all loglines contain the first four elements, but the idea is always present. Remember,thiscannot giveawaytoomuchofastory,orelsethere’snouseturningthe page.

A level is your audience’s age group, whether it’s P for preschoolers to 2nd graders (this includes picture books and junior chapter books), MG (Middle-Grade) for slightly more advanced readers 9-13 years old, or YA (Young adult) for 14+. The adult level is far different than MG and YA, yet loglines for them are quite similar.

Genre

Genre is like a special flavor that gives your story a unique taste. It helps us categorize and understand different types of stories. Imagine a giant treasure chest filled with different types of books, each with its own label. Adventure, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction are just a few examples of genres. Adventure stories take us on thrilling journeys, mystery stories challenge us to solve puzzles, fantasy stories whisk us away to magical realms, and science fiction stories imagine exciting future worlds. There are also many more types of fiction that don’t involve ghouls or time-travel. Realistic and Spiritual fiction are stories that could take place in the real world, but haven’t (until now.) Choosing a genre for your story helps you decide what kind of adventure you want to take your readers on and what kind of emotions you want them to feel. So, let your imagination soar and explore the wide range of genres to find the one that suits your story best!

POV

One important aspect to master is the point of view. Point of view refers to the perspective from which a story is told, and it can have a powerful impact on your readers. Let's dive into it! Imagine you're reading the popular book series "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by

Jeff Kinney, where the story is narrated in the first person through the personal diary entries of Greg Heffley. This gives you direct access to Greg's thoughts and emotions, creating a strong connection between the reader and the character. Now, let's explore a different point of view. In the enchanting book "Wonder" by R.J. Palacio, multiple points of view are used, allowing you to see the story unfold through the eyes of different characters, such as August, Via, and Miranda. This technique helps you understand their unique perspectives and builds empathy. It’s called multiple POV. Another fascinating point of view is found in the classic book "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White, where the story is told in third person, providing an objective view of the interactions between Wilbur the pig, Charlotte the spider, and other farm animals. One final example is the Harry Potterseries by Joanne Rowling, which is told in the third person like Charlotte’sWebbut with the slight (yet not-so slight) difference of how the main character is the one being followed by this third person. This is called close third person, and it is found when the storyteller is not a character, but follows the main character’s actions primarily. By mastering different points of view, you'll add depth and variety to your storytelling, captivating your readers with every word. Find your story’s POV by choosing if the main character would be better off as the narrator or just the action’s focus with the words coming from a disembodiment.

Tense

Tense refers to the timeframe in which a story takes place and helps to establish the sequence of events. Let's explore it further! Imagine you're reading the popular book series "Magic Tree House" by Mary Pope Osborne. The stories are mostly written in the past tense, describing Jack and Annie's adventures as they travel through time. For example, you might read, "Jack and Annie stepped into the magical treehouse and found themselves in ancient Egypt." This past tense usage allows readers to understand that the events have already happened. In "The Maze Runner" series by James Dashner, a group of teenagers find themselves trapped in a mysterious maze with no memories of their past. The present tense usage in the series creates a sense of urgency and keeps the readers engaged in the fast-paced and thrilling events. For instance, you might read, "Thomas runs through the maze, desperately trying to find an escape route." This present tense style immerses the reader in the action and adds to the suspenseful atmosphere of the story. This present tense usage creates a sense of immediacy and makes the reader feel as if they are right there with the characters. So, young writers, whether you choose to write in the past tense or the present tense, be consistent throughout your story to maintain clarity and engage your readers. Get ready to transport your readers through time and space with your vivid storytelling!

Tense and POV are quite close in which they change almost every pronoun in your story, yet do nothing to the plot. Or do they? Pointofviewandtenseinfictionhavethepowertoevokestrong emotionsinreaders.The chosen perspective allows readers to connect deeply with characters, fostering empathy and emotional engagement. Tense amplifies the intensity of the story, immersing readers in its unfolding moments.

Idea

An idea is truly one of the toughest parts of storytelling. Just write for the sake of writing. You have to have passion, you have to be willing to “Kill your babies” (get rid of a part of your story you’ve gotten too attached to as it may impact the quality of the rest of the story,) and most importantly, you have to trust yourself. Trust that you’ll know you’re adding in the right secondary character, or making the right fight scene, and if you don’t, get rid of it. I, myself, have thrown out crumpled up papers of ideas countless times, even months into the process. And, no, it’s not a waste, because you learned something along the way. Its ok to change your idea based on another element, but you have to believe that you can write a story. Going back to section 1, find a short sentence you’d see on the back of a book and really be excited to read. No matter how many stories you’ve heard about J.K. Rowling and how she scribbled Harry Potter on a collection of napkins, no book was written in a week. Sure, the first draft of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was written in three days, but it was composed by a man of great experience and real-world troubles of his own. If you go outside to observe nature for a book, that’s time put into it. If you have trouble getting ready for a test and you use your experience to make your character feel the same way, that’s time put into your story. Everything you see, do, or say doesn’t have to go into a notepad, but keep in mind that the most crazy dragon-fight scene could come from an argument with a sibling, as long as you’re passionate and up for the challenge.

Putting it all together

Now that you have all the elements of your logline, it’s time to connect the dots. Start with your level, then your genre and POV, and your tense (if it changes the story heavily. If it doesn’t, leave it out). The bulk of the logline should be your idea. Here’s an example of a logline using one of my own crafts:

Amiddle-grademinorfantasytoldinfirst-personaboutaboy beingfollowedaroundbyaribbonandagirlofwhichhelaterfinds outistrappedinherownmind. Hegoesonaquestinhermindto freeher,beingchallengedbybraveryandlogicitself.

Here’s a logline using just idea: Anorphanedboyenrollsinaschoolofwizardry,wherehelearns thetruthabouthimself,hisfamilyandtheterribleevilthathaunts themagicalworld.

I think you can guess what story that one belongs to (hint: you’re a wizard, Harry!).

Now that you have a general aspect of this intro quotient to a story, I hope you take the time to really find the outline of your story or just note what the logline could’ve been for a book you’ll read yourself!

By Lila Mastropasqua

A Trip to Florida

By Vivian Li

One day my family and my best cousin Michelle that I always travel with and I were going to Florida. Michelle was going on another plane. We had to give our luggage to Michelle because her plane let her have free check-in and our plane was going to make us pay money for our luggage. I went on my plane and it was so freezing cold. I had a hard time sleeping but finally slept only 30 minutes. Then finally 3 hours later I arrived. I said, “Hooray! We are here!” It was super late and by the time we got to our house, it was 1am! I knew my cousin’s plane was cancelled but I remembered we gave our luggage to my cousin so I said, “Oh no!” My mom said that she was going to be riding in her car for 18 hours to get to Florida! That night we had to wear our clothes from the trip as our pajamas. I couldn’t even brush my teeth! Yuck!

The next day Michelle arrived around 4pm. I felt so excited because now my vacation could really start. We stayed in a nice house. Our house there even had a pool in the backyard! My mom said Michelle and I could go swimming now that I finally had my swimsuit and could brush my teeth. The rest of our vacation was perfect. I think the next trip I take, I will be sure to have my luggage with me!

By Katarina Guarrera