 | 18 Apr 08 |
Thanks, A for another segue. Yesterday Allison gave you a few ideas and challenged you to come up with a story idea, today I’m going to give you a story idea and challenge you to come up with a one line logline. My set up is bland on purpose, it’s up to you to energize it, give it dimension, and add some zing. In short; sell it!
So the reason for this? I’m actually reading a How To book! Wonders never cease. It’s titled Save the Cat, by screenwriter Blake Snyder. It’s chock full of so many kewl things, namely for me, developing the pitch line for my story before I begin to write it. Before reading STC I have generally done this in theory, in my head, but when you follow Snyder’s road map and actually engage the thinking steps, I’m amazed by the clarity of story, and character that come with it. I mean, I have my motivations and conflict cemented. There is no question as to what primally drives my characters. Of course my editor has also told me this, but maybe because I had a visual with words, and Snyder broke it down so easily and with examples it just totally resonated with me. 
So, here we go: We have a man, a cop, with scars. Deep scars. He is a loner with no trust of women. How could he be? When the woman he married did it only for a green card, and once procured, aborted his child. His life is consumed with catching murderers.
We have a woman, a suspected black widow. When her current amour de jour dies a most public and horrific death and she takes off for parts unknown and the evidence left behind points directly at her, she refuses to come in. She’d been institutionalized once, for the death of her high school sweetheart, and when she walked out a free woman she swore she would never return. She just wants peace in her life and for the nightmares to end. She trusts no one, least of all the cops. She runs fast and she runs far.
His job, track her down and set himself up as her next victim. Problem is, he finds a vulnerable, confused woman who in his estimation couldn’t hurt a fly, but in reality has killed four men, all in ‘freak’ accidents, all for monetary gain, all but one she has gotten away with. She is a prime example of the type of woman he abhors the most.
But to gain her trust and get close, this battle scarred and reticent man must open up, or at least appear to. What happens when pretending becomes real? But more worrisome, what happens when the predator suddenly discovers he’s now the prey?
Okay, so I left plot twists and such vague on purpose. Add whatever twists you want. One thing Snyder says all good log lines must have is irony. I concur. Irony equals conflict. Do you see the double irony in the above story?
I have a goodie for the log line I personally like the best: a $25 Visa gift cert. I’ll announce the winner Sunday.
So have at it!
© 2008 – 2009, Karin Tabke. All rights reserved.
A Cop’s Wife Writes the Cop’s Life:
Award winning author, Karin Tabke isn’t just another author with steamy stories to tell, but a cop’s wife who has “seen it all and heard it all.†Some of the hottest stories come from behind the blue wall of law enforcement rather than from in front. Married to a street cop, now retired, Karin is intimate with both and proves it with her sizzling tales and hot cops. Not only are her cops hot, but so are her sexy knights. Karin’s Blood Sword Legacy series is a must read for anyone who loves tales of yore when men were men and women were women, and love did conqueror all!
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Prey and Predator both set a trap, but who will get caught in the Black Widow’s web?
A loner cop’s new assignment is to set a trap for a Black Widow, but will he be the one caught in the widow’s web?
by HollyD April 18th, 2008 at 5:30 amKarin, I love, love, love this premise! I like Holly’s lines and don’t know if I can do better. All the ones I thought of are in the same direction. Darn that Holly for getting here first!
by Edie April 18th, 2008 at 6:08 amOkay, Karin, here’s my attempt…
A battle-scarred cop discovers putting his heart on the line, is far more dangerous than putting his life on the line.
by LaDonna April 18th, 2008 at 6:25 amI LOVE the irony here. Man hates women who prey on men for their own selfish purposes, has to find woman who preys on men for own selfish purposes and falls for her.
*rimshot*
Embittered cop falls for the Black Widow he’s been sent to catch.
Hmmmm Needs work.
by Amie Stuart April 18th, 2008 at 8:17 amI love STC! Totally changed how I conceptualized my stories.
Sorry, no log line from me…they take me a few days to come up with. I’ll be back with one if something hits me.
by Amy Addison April 18th, 2008 at 8:35 amLoner cop who sets a trap to catch a Black Widow starts doubting her guilt.
Loner cop who sets a trap to catch a Black Widow starts doubting her guilt, which could lead to Dead Ever AFter. (or “could be deadly.”)
Loner cop who sets a trap to catch a Black Widow starts doubting her guilt, which could lead to Dead Ever AFter for both of them.
by Edie April 18th, 2008 at 8:38 amCaught in her web of passion, a bitter and vulnerable cop must free himself to bring a Black Widow murderer to justice.
by Hubby April 18th, 2008 at 8:41 amWhen a cop is obsessed with bringing a deadly widow the justice she deserves, he discovers believing her guilt is easier than proving her innocence.
Not great, but I’ll be back later. The premise sounds awesome, Karin. Oh, and I finally got to use the gift card I won. Books, books, and more books! Yay!
by B.E. Sanderson April 18th, 2008 at 9:51 amOh! Oh! Is this the book I read like 3 or 4 chapters of way back when? I am so excited! I love it! Write it, damn it, it’s not like you have anything else to do! Bawahahahahaha
by Allison Brennan April 18th, 2008 at 10:49 am“Dead Ever After”
Ohmigosh … I LOVE that!
by spyscribbler April 18th, 2008 at 11:16 amKeep the ideas coming, ladies, and hubby.
I like the dead ever after too, and yes, A this is based on the story I wrote many moons ago. One day it will get a complete rewrite and see the light of a bookshelf.
by Karin April 18th, 2008 at 12:03 pmI’m thinking, Karin, this sounds like a great book! Cant’ wait to see it in print.
How about cop answers call of nature to get rid of pesky racoons…. Oh! wait, that was another story
Doing BIAW, so I’ll get back in a bit.
by Donnell April 18th, 2008 at 1:03 pmWeb of Deceit
Web of Lies
A loner cop, an accused black widow, whose life will end in a Web of Lies (Deceit).
The trap is set, but will the loner cop or the accused black widow get caught in the Web of Lies (Deceit).
by HollyD April 18th, 2008 at 1:14 pmShe’s accused of killing four lovers, he’s charged with bringing her in; but once he enters her parlor, can he escape her web?
Best I can do… back to writing
by Donnell April 18th, 2008 at 1:44 pmIntrigue, murder and a seductive cop whose life is on the line.
Dark Secrets.
by anne April 18th, 2008 at 2:18 pmHanging by a Thread.
by J. Carson Black April 18th, 2008 at 2:44 pmShattered trust.
Entrapped within the spider’s web.
by ruth April 18th, 2008 at 3:58 pmMy log line? I WISH I WAS DONE PAINTING MY HOUSE! It’s going to be a LONG ordeal.
I hope to get time this weekend to come back and read everyone’s log lines!
by Jen April 18th, 2008 at 4:00 pmGreat log lines, everyone. I’ll keep checking in… tomorrow, after I get up! We are on overtime, and it’s been a long, long, long night. er, Morning. Er, night. I don’t know. GOODNIGHT.
by Natalie April 19th, 2008 at 1:08 amA tale with twists and turns that makes you wonder who is spinning the web and who will be caught.
by Maureen April 19th, 2008 at 6:32 amRuthless deception
A hard edged cop engaged in a devious plot.
by ellie April 19th, 2008 at 7:29 amThe Widow’s web appears as soft and vunerable as silk. Can the world weary cop determine its true fiber before being caught?
by Angel April 19th, 2008 at 2:32 pmThe tangled web of deception is hidden within an intricate labyrinth. A cop’s most perilous dilemma.
by alissa April 20th, 2008 at 8:59 amOh, crap! I forgot to pick a winner! Let me read again and get back to everyone!!
by Karin April 21st, 2008 at 9:45 amI’m back and having difficulty. There are two I really like.
by Karin April 21st, 2008 at 10:39 amI’m going to ask the hubster, (whose line, as good as it was does not get considered) to break the tie.
Drum roll please, the winner is…Amie!
Email me!
by Karin April 21st, 2008 at 12:33 pmMOI? *blink*
Sveet!!
Jen bless your heart….I painted the inside when I moved in. I’m NOT painting the outside.
by Amie Stuart April 21st, 2008 at 12:56 pm