Here is a logline and synopsis of my first novel ’Softening’ as it stands after the first draft. The template for them is taken from Saves a Cat: Writes a Novel and is derived from the story beats I used when constructing the novel. I didn’t follow the beats exactly, but I did enough so that the logline fell naturally out. The synopsis took more work. Both had to be tinkered around with to bring in more of the romcom flavour of the book. After first pass, the logline in particular read as if Softening was a thriller, which it most definitely isn’t. The protagonist does get chased in a car though, so it does have its moments.
Logline
Perry, a lonely, workaholic executive, meets Rob, a energetic but chaotic maths teacher, at a weird and wonderful meditation class; but a devastating lawsuit at her company and a toxic road rage incident, cause Perry’s emotions to spin out of control, and she must learn from Rob, and the whole peculiar class, that another life is possible, before Rob leaves her forever.
Synopsis
Perry is successful executive in a vibrant city in the north of England. She is affluent, attractive, and loves her job; she has everything. But her success has come at a high price, she is lonely; her old friends have left, her colleagues fear her, and her mother never listens. She begins an introductory meditation course, in another attempt to meet people. Once again, she has nothing in common with her weird and wonderful classmates, and when she bumps into Rob, an energetic maths teacher from Australia, his chaotic and freewheeling manner alienates her. The class is another failure.
Work begins to dominate Perry’s life more and more. An aggressive lawsuit, threatens the entire company, and Perry must work harder than ever to safeguard her future. She is under intense pressure, and a toxic road rage incident, causes her emotions spin out of control. She realises she cannot keep going the way she has been. Something must change. Another life must be possible.
In desperation, she returns to the meditation class, to find balance in her life. The class is as weird as before, but this time she connects. She begins appreciate the qualities of the other students, especially Rob, and much to Perry’s surprise, they share a kiss, and start a tentative relationship. They push away and pull towards each other, but Rob’s hidden depths win Perry over.
Suddenly Rob’s father becomes ill, and he must return home, and Rob’s self-inflicted circumstances mean he is unlikely to return. Perry is betrayed and cannot forgive him, but when he has left, she realises how much she loves him. She must choose between career and home, and an unknown future with the unreliable man she loves.
