THE LOGLINE

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A few weeks ago I completed a twelve hour course on Creating A TV Series Proposal given by Jennifer McAuley sponsored by The Quebec Writers’ Federation.

One of the features of writing a proposal for TV is to have a GREAT logline. It’s one to three sentences that grabs the agent, producer, director, audience attention to your story. It is precise and gets to the point of your story.

Here’s my logline for my TV script (which might change as I go along writing the script) but for now here it is:

According to Keri Novak’s PhD study group, women who have had absent fathers grow up assuming that they are doomed to unsuccessful relationships with men. That is, until Keri meets her own Prince Charming putting her research and the award she is about to receive in jeopardy.

Does this grab your attention?

Based on my Getting to Mr. Right Series

Please visit my author page on Amazon.

54 thoughts on “THE LOGLINE”

    • Me too but it’s really a shot in the dark. I just thought it another way to get my books out there. Besides turning the book manuscript into a script there are so many other other steps to go through. But as a friend told me you won’t know unless you try. 🙂

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      • Debby, this is a challenge which I am giving myself. I am still learning how to use the scriptwriting software and I am aware that the road ahead is steep and very competitive. There are many hoops to go through. First things first: writing the script, an exercise which demands a lot of patience, faith and hope and I try not to get discouraged but sometimes I wonder what the heck I’m doing! ❤

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      • I admire your courage. I have often thought about script writing but never felt up to the challenge, almost like learnng another language. ❤

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      • Oh Debby, it is in some ways like learning another language but consider the fact that you’ve often thought of script writing. There are a lot of YouTube channels on writing scripts that just might stimulate you. Also you mentioned having a podcast (now that to me is scary!) but I can see you with one. Check out these podcasts: Morning Meditation for Women; Untangle (Oh this one is just up your alley in connection to your blog posts on relationships) And although I do not know of any podcast on grief that might be something to check out.
        The reason I decided to try to write a screenplay is simply because I think it’s a way to reach a different audience for my books. And wouldn’t it be neat to see my book on the screen? I know that this might not be the time for you to dwell on a new challenge but maybe sometime down the road and in the meantime you might want to browse what’s out there in terms of podcasts or scriptwriting. How about a podcast on writing memoirs?
        https://player.fm/podcasts/Memoir
        Sorry to be so long winded and I don’t mean to be pushy at all. I just think that you have such interesting things to say and in such an entertaining manner. ❤ xxx

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      • Thank you so much Carol for these links I’m definitely going over to check out. I have been looking around already for comparisons and hadn’t really found any with my idea so that is inspiring. I will definitely keep you posted when I progress. And I’d love to see your books on the screen!!!! Hugs ❤

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    • Thanks, Margot. There are so many steps to consider especially since I know nobody in this business and unlike books one can’t really self-produce a film! At least I can’t. But I’m plugging away on blind faith.

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  5. A small suggestion:
    In her PhD study group, Keri Novak believes that women who have had absent fathers grow up assuming that they are doomed to unsuccessful relationships with men. That is, until Keri meets her own Prince Charming putting her research and the award she is about to receive in jeopardy.

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  6. It got my attention – but I am confused as to why her research would be In jeopardy? And the award?
    —
    Just my thoughts – but I am a researcher and so this is where my mind went – if she grew up with beliefs (about absentee father and outcome for females- and those beliefs are opinion and subjective personal experience) the gears switch to her research – whicg is objective and not sure if it was inductive or deductive research – but if it was award winning it likely was robust and not connected to her growing up beliefs at all? Because personal experience doesn’t justify a research study; we have to argue for a need to explore and collect data (even a gap in the literature is not enough because the gap might be there because research wasn’t needed )
    So personally for me I was confused with why meeting Mr Right would connect to research outcomes?
    —
    I also disagree with the opening claim that absent fathers lead to unsuccessful relationships with men. ?
    I could argue the opposite is true: – because the father was absent the female had a blank slate and as long as she had her needs met while growing up and developing – it didn’t doom her – and she had better relationships with men.

    Successful relationships (as I am sure you know) relate to so much more than whether or not the dad was absent – it depends on how much support they had from many people – and I could list many examples of successful folks that had others fill in the gaps.
    And correlation is not the same things as causation and so the first part did not sit right
    Lastly – and not to be harsh – but the term “Prince Charming”
    Feels so off.
    It feels fairy tale like and dated – and i guess it could
    Work in a series of romance novels – but the “type” of male represented in my version of “Prince Charming” is too perfect to be realistic and I don’t like that term.
    —
    Just my thoughts but your story line void be exactly what someone was looking for – and my view could be very limited to me!
    —

    —

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    • Thank you Prior for taking the time to write and for your knowledge on research. You have made me consider so many things. I agree with you that women who’ve had absent fathers end up having very successful relationships and in the end my novel will show that. And you’ve made a good point about receiving the award. Your input is very much appreciated. ❤

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      • Oh my pleasure – and if you are going to have a main character be a doctoral researcher – (of course you know this) make sure to interview someone who does research to get some extras
        Because most researchers don’t do research that connects to our peril experience – well we can
        But it is very calculated (all
        Research is whether qualitative – quantitative or mixed methods) and qwe calculate our sample size – the population we survey or interview – and we have to argue or justify why the research was even needed (and as noted – a gap in the lit or absent of studies is not enough) and so I just didn’t see her personal life connecting to her professional research –
        But Carol
        You might be on to a viable topic that could make a nice series

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      • Thanks again, Prior but after your comments I’ve dropped the PhD. Many years back I worked in a community center as an animator for women going through separations and divorces. This I know and so that’s the title I will give my protagonist. I still want to use the absent father theme although I agree with you that many women who’ve had absent fathers go on to have loving, lasting relationships and some women who’ve had very supportive fathers end up in terrible marriages. But my focus is on the effects that a father’s absence and/or abuse can have on a woman’s success in a relationship. Complicated, I know. Thank you so much for helping me get better focused. ❤

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      • Hi – actually it does not sound that complicated and that is why it doesn’t sit right with me – the far too broad category of “absent father (or abusive father) on relationship success”
        I just think there are too many variables that underpin any family upbringing – and defining absent is another thing – for example we have wealthy friends who had the dad travel to china 80% of the year – is that an absent dad?
        I know you worked in this area and I know you have so much seasoning – but the complex part of it is that so much more is at play (as I know you know) like how the mom compensated – if the mom was absent – how teachers or neighbors played a role – or didn’t –
        I know we have to “rise above our upbringing” and always have to consider childhood experiences – but healthy relationships depend on personality – coping skills – habit loops – outlook – and most important –
        Accurate self awareness and growth!
        I am not underpinning the role of a father and sigh – the Christian community can over so the “man up” crap for dads – forgetting that a Proverbs 31 woman “considered a field and buys it” (business woman) and so parenting roles can vary and should – even though females have the hips and breasts for a different type of role –
        —
        I see so much variance all the time – some folks have sexual abuse and adjust fine in adulthood – some have it happen once and crumble –
        And so for me – I just feel it was too general to say absent father led to such and such…
        In past eras – most fathers were working 12 hour days and one were hard – in our culture – I think it is abuse at school and lack of coping skills being taught that might interplay with an absent parent – but always so many variables – and if they were taught to cope – bounce back – develop GRIT? And lean common pitfalls in communication – and then grow and learn when it is your side pulling from the relationship.
        —
        Anyhow – sorry to be so opinionated on this topic – but I have even more thoughts that I’ll keep to myself – hahaha
        It Chuck Swindoll was told he was a mistake – and had subtle abuse that way – but said a different adult filled in the gap to help nurture and build into him.
        —
        It sounds like you are flexible in your idea and so that was just some food for thought
        It congrats again on even coming up with a succinct TV proposal – truly exciting – and it also sounds like relationships are an expert area for you – so keep going and hope this leads to something great
        😊⭐️🙏

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      • Thanks. Great suggestion about the term absent father and I appreciate your generous input. It helps me become more focused on what I want to do and say. In my script the father’s are sexually abusive, in others they’ve gotten another woman pregnant and left to start a family with her, in another case the father is controlling (so I try to show the emotional abuse) and in another the father abandons his daughter because his current wife is the jealous type. So really, as I write this I think it is more about abandonment rather than absent. In the end, all four women come out having very healthy relationships with men. They’ve met their (I know you don’t like this term) Prince Charming.
        Thanks for the food for thought. You’ve got me thinking and I very much appreciate it. ❤ And thank you for your encouragement.

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      • HI – wow – as soon as I read the word “abandonment” it all clicked so much better – and then as you explained it – well, I can see much more of where you are going with this.
        —
        hope you have a great week ahead

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  7. One more thing / need a comma after the word study

    —
    Further – to say her PhD study ? Do you mean her dissertation to earn her PhD and then defend? The dissertation is the final part of earning the PhD and it is supervised research in student mode – (and IMHO it is rarely award winning )
    —
    So saying a PhD study was confusing for me?
    —
    Then – if you are going to reference research – this was not clear:

    “women who have had absent fathers grow up assuming that they are doomed to unsuccessful relationships with men”

    Were the findings “assumptions” or did the volleyed data show failed relationships – or was it perspective the research was targeting?

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    • You’re so kind, Toni. It was a great course but I came into it knowing nothing about writing for TV while many of the other students already had knowledge. It was a bit humbling and really the more difficult part awaits me. I don’t know what will come of this and this at times makes me very insecure. I so very much appreciate your thoughts. xxx

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    • Thank you so much Ellie for your prayers and good wishes. This is a challenge which I am giving myself. It’s a long road ahead with a deep learning curve. I had to learn (still learning) how to use the scriptwriting software and then there’s trying to find an agent and/or producer (I know no one in this business. I will never forget to thank you for all your support. I have always been grateful to have you as one of my favorite blogging friends. xxx

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  18. Thank you for sharing!!.. best of luck in your new adventure!!… “If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right” (Mary Kay Ash)… 🙂

    Until we meet again..
    May flowers always line your path
    and sunshine light your way,
    May songbirds serenade your
    every step along the way,
    May a rainbow run beside you
    in a sky that’s always blue,
    And may happiness fill your heart
    each day your whole life through.
    (Irish Saying)

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