Why do I need a tagline and logline for my book?

The reason we have taglines and loglines in publishing now is because of the algorithms we are exposed to, and the way they impact how we talk about, and therefore pitch books, in online retail and social media spaces.

The algorithm mimics how we recommend books to our friends - ‘it’s this meets this’ or ‘if you read this, you’ll like this’.

It has simplified how we talk about books; the hook leads (or in some instances the trope) because that’s how people seek new titles. Similar reads are also big and they are also being included on back covers. This new lingo is influencing how we talk about books.

Literary books are no exception, preferring to give the big themes of the book upfront, letting the reader know what they’re in for. Genre fiction such as crime and romance lead with the subgenre or trope (enemies-to-lovers, cosy crime).