Hey legends! First, a massive THANK YOU for the POEM posts – your verses were straight-up beautiful. Hearts full, vibes electric. 🔥
Now, let’s level up.
Your mission (if you choose to accept it):
Drop a logline for a movie, book, novel, cartoon, animated series – anything you dream up. One sentence. High stakes. Total hook.
Example:
“When a shy librarian discovers her late grandmother’s cookbook is actually a spellbook that summons gourmet demons, she must master molecular gastronomy to banish a ravenous soufflé overlord before it devours her small town’s annual bake-off.”
I know. That’s as cheesy as the soufflé. You get my drift.
Rules?
• One logline per comment.
• Make it yours. Wild, weird, heartfelt, hilarious – go.
• Upvote the ones that make you go “I’d watch/read that yesterday.”
What’s a Logline?
For those of you who haven’t ventured into The Writer’s Retreat (and it is a real treat!) here’s an explanation…
A logline is a single, high-stakes sentence that sells your entire story. It’s the elevator pitch that makes someone say, “I need to see/read that now.”
Core Structure (4 beats in 1 sentence)
1. Protagonist (who + 1-2 vivid traits)
2. Goal (what they want/need)
3. Stakes (what happens if they fail)
4. Antagonist/Conflict (who/what stands in the way)
Formula
When [INCITING INCIDENT] forces [PROTAGONIST] to [GOAL], they must overcome [ANTAGONIST/CONFLICT] or risk [STAKES].
Examples
• Jaws: When a killer shark terrorizes a beach town, a police chief with a fear of water must hunt it down before it devours the summer tourist season.
• Up: When a grieving widower ties balloons to his house to fly to South America, he must outrun a storm—and his cranky stowaway scout—to fulfill his late wife’s dream.
Pro Tips
• Irony: The goal should clash deliciously with the protagonist (shy librarian vs. demon chefs).
• Specificity: Swap “hero” for “disgraced astronaut” or “caffeinated raccoon.”
• Stakes > Plot: Focus on why it matters, not the full synopsis.
• Length: 25–40 words max. One breath.
Now write yours. Make it bleed hook.
And remember, at The Alive Institute every share is sacred — no judgement or critiques, only praise and improvement feedback loops.
Let’s grow! 🌳