How do you work from a great logline? Remember what it says!

You thought of a great story idea. It’s boiling in your head and you can’t get it out. Simply put, you must write it and so reach the first major stumbling block… “where do I start?”

Well, you should put it into a logline. But then? Outline? Yes, but first… a new lens to look at that outline…

The Lens of Memory

Imagine John McClane from Die Hard all recovered from his Nakatomi Plaza adventure, but still before Die Hard 2. Since Die Hard takes place on Christmas, let’s say it’s New Year’s Eve. McClane is in a bar with his fellow cops and they all heard the news, but now they want to hear it from him, their friend. Wouldn’t you?

According to IMDb, this is what happens in Die Hard: A New York City cop tries to save his wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party in a Los Angeles skyscraper.

It’s the logline. Well, a logline that aptly describes the movie. But in our example, it’s New Year’s and all of this already happened. So, let’s put it into the past tense.

A New York City cop saved his wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party in a Los Angeles skyscraper.

However, would a guy who’s just been through Hell and high adrenaline say it that way? Probably not. He’d have one wild story to tell his friends. From the slow start of meeting Argyle the limo driver, to the anticipation of entering the party, to the tension of arguing with his wife, and then onto the roller coaster that all viewers remember. However, even this has time jumps to “the good parts” as any exciting story does. No one wants to tell a boring story. So, McClane isn’t going to describe his whole limo ride, he’ll totally skip the elevator ride to the 40th floor, and so on.

He’ll be telling the story as he remembers it. Memories are things that stay with us, because they affect us, because they matter to us. And in this story, a 40 floor elevator ride doesn’t matter.

McClane (probably): “…so I get to the lobby, they have this computer directory there, believe that? I go to find her and… she isn’t listed under ‘McClane,’ but her maiden name, ‘Gennero.’ Unreal, man, unreal. Anyway, I go up to the 40th floor into this sea of people, some drunk, some probably doing coke, freakin’ yuppies, but finally… there she is. Holly. And I don’t know if she’s disappointed to see me or not…”

Ok, so McClane would probably swear more, but hopefully you get the picture.

Like a memory, a script is a selectively told story. Whole lifetimes of epic figures have been squeezed into 2 or 3 hours. Even a miniseries lasting 15 hours isn’t anywhere near close to a full lifetime. Yet, they can tell a compelling story that feels full as a whole lifetime. Classic stories such as The Odyssey and Beowulf are actually recollections, not just told by a bard, but the protagonists tell their story to others in that very story.

So now! How would you tell a story of your own? First think…

What Do You Remember?

For the purposes of an exercise, let’s say the story is about a great vacation that you took and the crazy things that happened along the way. Let’s say this vacation was one week, a high school or college time spring break. One week is 168 hours, at 1 page per minute, our total story time comes in at… 10,080 pages!

Of course, we don’t remember everything and must be selective about what we include. A huge part of this comes naturally. If your first thought about your great vacation is waiting in line at the airport, then that’s probably a key moment. For you. For someone else, the story might start landing at the destination (similar to McClane in Die Hard). Or already at the event. And from there, the possible time jumps are endless and particular to how you remember, and thus how you will tell your story.

Memories are things that affect us and that matter to us personally. Scenes affect a story and matter to its progress.

Back to the weeklong vacation. First, there’s everything that happened. Much of it you don’t remember. Most of it doesn’t matter anyway, but you do remember a good deal.

Then, there’s what you heard about from others. You weren’t with your friends every step of the way. You were paying attention to different things. But, if it’s good, your friends will tell you about it.

Finally, There’s What Matters to Your Story

This particular story. The events that turn, affect, reveal, and push forward become your scenes. Much of it you’ll chip away. Many things matter. Some matter more. And those that matter the most, must make it in.

John McClane’s Nakatomi Plaza adventure lasted for a few hours. The film, Die Hard, clocks in at 2 hours 12 minutes. The script — an undated, scene locked draft — that I read was 115 pages. For a spec writer, that just makes it into the Goldilocks zone, leaning into the high end.

Our hypothetical vacation scenario was 168 hours (one week), but perhaps your coolest vacation, long weekend, or time off with family and/or friends was shorter. Or longer? In that case, lucky you.

But now ask yourself… What do you remember? And start your story.

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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