The best way I can describe this framework is the Marvelization of writing - it’s formulaic and mainstream and totally dependent on following the structure of every ‘big hit’, but might not give you room for uniqueness or experimentation with craft. I have mixed feelings about this, because on one hand, I don’t believe good stories should be evaluated by a prescriptive set of rules (especially since they are Westernized standards), but on the other hand, I think it is helpful to have a baseline to compare your work to so that you can at least deviate from the standard with purpose (gotta know the rules before you break them, yada yada).

This book entirely hones in on one type of story structure, and is effective in explaining the different beats and providing examples to give you a crystal-clear template. Helping give constructive feedback to other writersīut above all else, SAVE THE CAT! WRITES A NOVEL will help you better understand the fundamentals and mechanics of plot, character transformation, and what makes a story work!

Implementing feedback from agents and/or editors Whether you’re writing your first novel or your seventeenth, Save the Cat! breaks down plot in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step method so you can write stories that resonate! This book can help you with any of the following:īreaking out of the dreaded “writer’s block”įleshing out/test driving a new idea to see if it “has legs” Now, for the first time ever, bestselling author and writing teacher, Jessica Brody, takes the beloved Save the Cat! plotting principals and applies them to the craft of novel writing in this exciting new “workshop style” guide, featuring over 20 full beat sheets from popular novels throughout time. SAVE THE CAT!® by Blake Snyder is a popular screenwriting book series and storytelling methodology used by screenwriters, directors, and studio execs across Hollywood.

The cat writes a novel