I’m a writing advice fan and I’m always open to exploring the latest and greatest way a writer can improve upon their process. I first heard about “Save the Cat!” through a few ladies from WOW! Women on Writing. When I put the blog tour together, I knew I wanted to review this book too.
In Save the Cat! Writes the Novel, you are introduced to a few things. First, you are introduced to their story structure via 15 story beats. These are those 15 beats:
Opening Image.
Theme Stated.
Set-Up
Catalyst
Debate
Break into 2
B Story
Fun and Games
Midpoint
Bad Guys Close In
All is Lost
Dark Night of the Soul
Break into 3
Finale
Final Image
Don’t let these 15 beats intimidate you! These 15 story beats are visited in depth in this book. One of my favorite aspects of this book is that it utilizes popular fiction in order to portray what each beat represents.
Another really interesting aspect to the book is that it introduces new genres. And they provide insight into how readers usually expect novels in these genres to wrap up. I think this is incredibly helpful if you feel stuck in your storytelling or you feel like something isn’t “right” with the story you are trying to tell.
The thing is I am a “pantser” or another term I’ve heard recently is, I’m a “discovery” writer. I don’t outline in advance but what I like is the idea of using these beats to track the direction I want to go in my story. Without outlining, I run the risk of being aimless and Save the Cat! Writes the Novel provides me with a map that I can use along the way.
If you are trying to find your own writing method or your own writing storytelling process, I absolutely recommend that you purchase this book. It will help you as it helped me. Whatever kind of writing you do, you will be helped by this book.
Visit www.savethecat.com for more information about their book and software. About Save the Cat! Writes a Novel
An Amazon #1 best seller with over 500 reviews, it’s the first novel-writing guide from the best-selling Save the Cat! story-structure series, reveals the 15 essential plot points needed to make any novel a success. In this revolutionary novel-writing guide from the best-selling Save the Cat!
series, novelist Jessica Brody demystifies each beat, making it simple to learn the complexities of storytelling. The best-seller also reveals the ten
universal story genres to help you drill down into what makes your type of
story work. Featuring sample “beat sheets” for hits from the likes of J. K.
Rowling, Khaled Hosseini, and Stephen King, this practical guide also includes real-world advice on pitching your novel, plus the quirky, original insights (like the eponymous tip to “Save the Cat”) that make this series unique. By the end of this book, your own imaginative beats will combine to create a story that thrills readers from start to finish.
Save the Cat! Writes the Novel is available as a print and e-book at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.
