One-liners are those pat phrases that make a point and leave it marked indelibly on someone’s mind. These are the mini-commercials that
hover in the air once the show goes back on. Most writers think these only exist as elevator pitches to agents at conferences. Not so.
One-liners are appropriate in a wide assortment of arenas, and the more of them you have prepared, the sharper you look.
Where else do you need one-liners other than pitching your book? Consider these everyday questions that cross your path, and see if a
one-liner might not fill the bill.
- “Who are you / What do you do?”
- “What do you write?”
- “Why do you write?”
- “What is your book about?”
- “Who do you write for?”
- “What’s your latest project?”
- “What’s the first line of your story?”
If you are serious about being a writer, you capitalize upon all questions so that your professionalism, devotion and drive shine
through. One-liners, by their very nature, are short, to the point, quick-witted, thorough and memorable. Too many people want to
ramble, which to the average listener, comes across as unprepared, insecure and not credible. These tiny message-in-a-minute tools
can open doors of opportunity you just because you appear to be “together.”
Concise is considered intelligent. Concise and creative is considered brilliant. Few people prepare these short spurts of knowledge,
and when asked simple questions, fill in voids with Ums and Uhs or only half-way answer the query with something obviously grabbed out
of the air. They look fake and plastic, or as a minimum, not serious about their profession.
Spontaneous is great for those gifted at off-the-hip humor, but most of us are not endowed with such talent. But we are writers, and
writers can…duh…write great words of wisdom. Why do so few writers fail to pen a few one-liners, memorize them, and dazzle others?
Look at these few one-liners I’ve created for myself.
Who are you?
“I’m C. Hope Clark, editor of an online site FundsforWriters.com, a freelance writer of national magazine features and burgeoning
mystery novelist.”
See how I threw in a few words that impress like “editor”, “national”, “burgeoning” and “novelist”?
What do you do?
“I write editorials and magazine features by day and mysteries by night.”
Makes me sound like I live to write 24/7, and if I invest myself in the craft so much, I’m bound to know something about my profession.
Why do you write?
“It’s empowering to create words that enable and entertain others.”
The confidence is still coming through. Hear it?
What is your book about?
“The Shy Writer helps writers sell their words, not their souls.”
The book is about reclusive writers learning how to self-promote, but this sounds better, don’t you think?
Who do you write for?
“I publish nationally in magazines and internationally online.”
If you’ve freelanced any length of time, you’ve done the same. Sounds impressive.
What’s your latest project?
“I’m writing a series of agricultural mysteries, set in the South.”
Note how I do not say that agents haven’t picked them up yet, or that they are unpublished, or that I hope to get them published. No
backstepping or excusing why they aren’t in book form yet. The question was the latest project. The answer was right on target. Don’t
dilute it.
What’s the first line of your story?
“Hands on my hips, I surveyed the small office. O-positive primer wasn’t quite the color I had in mind, but Lucas Sherwood hadn’t given
the decor a second thought when he blew out the left side of his head with a .45.”
Okay, so it’s two sentences. The point is I remembered it. Problem was once I was asked, and I forgot because I’d edited it so many
times. Be prepared to give your opening hook. Lets you realize how important hooks are to grab attention.
Work those one-liners until they are tight and bull’s eye right on. Those few words can win big-time for you.
About The Author:
C. Hope Clark is editor of FundsforWriters.com and four newsletters
affiliated with the FFW family. She is also the author of the trade paperback The Shy Writer: :
An Introvert's Guide to Writing Success.
* This article is available for your publication, for a F-E-E.
This article may NOT be reprinted without monetary compensation and written permission from the author.
For reprint rights or comments/questions about this article, please contact the author.
|
