Pitch Perfect: How I Hooked Industry Pros with my Horror Loglines

Image by: Jess Bailey

They say you've got one sentence to hook someone-and in horror, that sentence needs teeth. A great logline is more than a summary. It's a pitch. A promise. A challenge.

When I started pitching my horror scripts, I learned very quickly that a good idea poorly framed would never make it past an inbox. But once I nailed my loglines, I started getting traction-requests to read, meeting, and real momentum.

Here's the one that's gotten me the most attention so far:

When a murder disrupts a secluded therapy retreat for recovering serial killers, paranoia spreads, bloodlust resurfaces, and their therapist is revealed to become the deadliest psychopath of them all.

That sentence did more than get laughs- it got reads. Why? Because it delivers a clear tone (dark comedy/horror), a strong hook (serial killers in group therapy), and a compelling twist (the therapist is one of them).

Let's break down what makes a horror logline effective:

Protagonist Clarity

Whether your logline starts with a situation or a goal, the protagonist must be instantly identifiable and interesting.

• Who are they?

• What makes them a compelling lead in a horror story?

• Are they an outsider? A skeptic? Already traumatized?

A Problem or Goal That Implies Fear or Danger

In horror, the "problem" or "goal" must contain an inherent threat-emotional, physical, supernatural, or psychological.

• What danger are they stepping into?

• Is it survival? Sanity? A secret they're hiding?

A Specific and Horror-Appropriate Obstacle

This is what separates horrors from thrillers or dramas. The obstacle must:

• Feel dangerous (not just inconvenient)

• Tap into fear (a killer, a curse, a possession, a moral descent)

• Often escalate into something beyond the protagonist's control.

A Consequence or Outcome That's Dread-Filled

Horror loglines thrive on tension and inevitability. A good logline suggests that if the protagonist fails:

• Someone dies

• The world changes

• They become the monster

Tone is Everything

Use language that sets expectations: "possessed," "grieving," "blood-soaked," or "ancient evil" all instantly paint the genre.

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Final Thoughts

A strong horror logline does more than describe your story-it sells it. It distills your fear, your theme, your hook into a single sentence that demands attention. The more specific, emotional, and loaded with dread it is, the better.

If you've ever struggled to write one, you're not alone. But once you master them, pitching your story becomes just a little less scary.

-Renee

🔐 Ready to get started on cracking the logline code? Even if you don’t write horror, you can use my downloadable Logline Cheat Sheet—packed with fill-in-the-blank formulas and structure tips that work across all genres.