One thing I love about Jami Gold's website (and I think I've mentioned this before) is her tag line. "Beach reads with bite" tells you everything about her writing in just those four words. I've had tag line envy ever since I first saw her site, but I've absolutely no luck in thinking of one of my own.
When I wake up at 2:30 in the morning, and lie there Not Going Back To Sleep Even Though I Am Tired, I think about things. One of the things that I think about is what my tag line would be if I had one. Of course, then I worry that I'll think of a great tag line, actually fall back to sleep and then not remember it in the morning, but some people just aren't happy unless they're worrying about something.
Tonight, while reading "How To Write Magical Words, A Writer's Companion" (full review later, short review after reading 20 pages is go and buy it now*) the germ of a tag line hit me. This is not my tag line. This is my rough draft of my tag line.
"Defender of trolls, rescuer of monsters, and cuddler of clockwork cats"
Needs work, but at least it's a start!
*Full disclosure. If you follow that link to Amazon and buy the book, I don't make any money off of it. It's just a link.
Ha! It's so cute! And pretty well sums it up!
ReplyDeleteTag lines? That's hard, it's not easy to describe someone in one sentence. Don't we all have layers? Hey is that a tag line? Okay, your are right, it's a start. Happy tagging, and good luck. I think you just got me hooked! :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Suzi,
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks so much! As a reader of my blog, you've probably picked up on the fact that I *love* contrast. "Beach Reads" - fluffy. "with Bite" - not so fluffy.
I think contrast can do wonders to sum up broad ideas (giving a sense of both ends of the spectrum) and make things sound punchy. Another tag-ish line I like is from my friend Mercedes Yardley (www.abrokenlaptop.com). She calls her work "whimsical horror." Doesn't that contrast sound fantastic?
With that in mind (and skip this part if you're not interested in my brainstorming with you!), I think you're on the right track. Your idea has that great contrast and just needs to be pared down to make it punchy. But right now, the way it's worded is focusing on you - as an author - rather than your work. Is that what you want? If you wanted to turn it around, would something like "Heroic Trolls and Cuddly Clockwork Cats" work? Or even punchier: "Where Monsters Are the Heroes".
Like I said, ignore me at will, just trying to give you some thoughts to kick start your own ideas. :)
And one of these days, I've got to drag you onto Twitter so we can chat more frequently. *come to the dark side* LOL!
Colene: Aw, thank you :)
ReplyDeleteCynthia: You're right, this is hard! But I'm glad you're hooked, that's the best part ;)
Jami: You make it look so simple! "Where Monsters Are the Heros" gave me goosebumps!