Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody adapts the popular screenwriting method from Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat! series for novelists. By breaking down the essential beats of storytelling, Brody provides a clear roadmap for crafting compelling, well-structured novels.
This book is especially useful for writers struggling with plot and pacing, offering practical tools for applying the beat sheet method to any genre, from romance to thriller.
Introduction
Overview of the Book
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody is an adaptation of the popular screenwriting formula from Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat! series, but tailored specifically for novelists. Brody, a successful novelist herself, takes Snyder’s renowned beat sheet method and translates it into a comprehensive guide for writing novels.
By breaking down the essential elements of storytelling into a formulaic structure, Brody offers novelists a roadmap to crafting compelling, well-structured narratives that resonate with readers.
Why This Book is Important for Writers
This book is particularly useful for writers who struggle with plotting and story structure. It provides a clear, step-by-step approach to constructing a novel, offering practical tools for both beginner and experienced writers.
Brody’s take on the Save the Cat! method focuses on helping novelists find the core beats of their story, ensuring that their narratives are cohesive and emotionally engaging.
For those looking to strengthen their plotting abilities, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel offers a practical framework to help bring their ideas to life.
Author Background
About the Author
Jessica Brody is an acclaimed author of several novels, including young adult titles such as The Chaos of Standing Still and In Some Other Life. With a background in screenwriting and novel writing, Brody is well-versed in storytelling techniques across multiple mediums.
She has also worked as a writing coach, helping authors refine their stories and improve their craft. Her expertise as a storyteller, combined with her knowledge of Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat! method, makes her the perfect author to adapt this screenwriting tool into a novel-writing guide.
Relevance of the Author’s Experience to the Book
Brody’s experience as a professional novelist and her background in screenwriting make her uniquely qualified to write this book. She understands the challenges that novelists face in translating story ideas into coherent and structured narratives.
As someone who has navigated the complexities of storytelling in both the film and literary worlds, Brody brings a practical and relatable perspective to the table. Her ability to adapt Snyder’s methodology for the specific needs of novelists ensures that the book resonates with its intended audience.
Book Structure and Style
Layout and Chapter Overview
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is structured around the 15-story beats of the Save the Cat! beat sheet, a tool originally designed for screenwriters to plan out their story’s key moments.
Brody effectively translates these beats into a novel-writing context, providing clear explanations of each beat and how it applies to long-form fiction. The book is divided into three main sections: the beat sheet breakdown, genre exploration, and troubleshooting common writing issues.
Each chapter focuses on a specific story beat, from the opening image to the final scene, with examples from well-known novels illustrating how these beats function in practice.
Brody also includes exercises and tips to help writers apply these concepts to their own work. The genre section is particularly useful, as it breaks down the beats for different types of stories, showing how they can be adapted for various genres such as romance, thriller, or fantasy.
Writing Style and Tone
Brody’s tone is approachable and encouraging, making the book accessible to writers at all levels. Her style is conversational, and she frequently breaks down complex ideas into digestible chunks, making it easy for readers to follow along.
Brody uses humor and personal anecdotes to keep the material engaging, and her clear, direct language ensures that the advice is easy to understand and implement.
The book feels more like a conversation with a knowledgeable mentor than a rigid instructional manual, which helps demystify the writing process.
Key Takeaways for Aspiring Writers
Practical Advice and Techniques
One of the main strengths of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is its focus on practical tools that writers can immediately apply to their own work. Brody walks writers through the 15 essential beats that make up a well-structured story, offering clear explanations of each beat’s function and purpose.
For example, she highlights the importance of the “fun and games” beat, which focuses on the heart of the novel’s premise, allowing writers to explore the key themes and conflicts that drive their narrative.
Brody also provides detailed advice on how to create strong character arcs by aligning the beats with the protagonist’s internal journey. This integration of external plot and internal character development helps writers ensure that their stories are not only well-structured but also emotionally resonant.
The exercises at the end of each chapter encourage writers to apply the beat sheet to their own projects, making the advice practical and actionable.
Theoretical Insights and Perspectives
While Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is primarily focused on practical application, Brody also delves into some of the theoretical aspects of storytelling. She explains why certain beats are essential for engaging readers and creating a satisfying narrative arc.
For example, the book discusses the importance of the midpoint beat in adding stakes and raising the emotional tension of the story. Brody’s exploration of story structure is grounded in an understanding of human psychology, emphasizing why these narrative patterns resonate with audiences.
She also touches on the concept of genre conventions and how different genres have unique expectations when it comes to storytelling. By understanding these conventions, writers can both meet reader expectations and find opportunities to subvert or innovate within their chosen genre.
Strengths of the Book
Unique Features and Approaches
What sets Save the Cat! Writes a Novel apart from other novel-writing guides is its adaptation of the Save the Cat! methodology. The 15-beat structure provides a clear roadmap for writers, offering a balance between creativity and structure.
The book is particularly helpful for writers who struggle with plotting, as it offers a tried-and-true formula for building a coherent and engaging story.
Another unique feature of the book is its focus on genre. Brody goes beyond generic advice, offering specific tips and beat sheet breakdowns for various genres, including romance, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction.
This genre-focused approach ensures that writers understand how to tailor their story beats to fit the conventions of their chosen genre while still maintaining originality.
Applicable to Different Levels of Writers
The book is highly accessible to writers of all experience levels. Beginners will find the beat sheet method particularly useful for demystifying the often-daunting process of plotting a novel.
The step-by-step guidance and examples from well-known novels make it easy for new writers to grasp the key concepts of story structure. More experienced writers, on the other hand, can use the beat sheet as a tool for refining their storytelling skills and ensuring that their plots are well-paced and emotionally engaging.
The inclusion of exercises throughout the book ensures that writers are not just passively reading but actively applying the concepts to their own work. Whether you’re working on your first novel or looking to refine your craft, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel provides practical tools that can help you take your storytelling to the next level.
Areas for Improvement
Potential Weaknesses or Gaps
While Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is packed with useful advice, some writers may find the beat sheet approach to be too formulaic. The 15-beat structure, while helpful for many, could potentially stifle creativity for writers who prefer a more organic approach to storytelling. For those who thrive on discovery writing or don’t like working within strict structural guidelines, the beat sheet may feel limiting.
Another potential limitation of the book is that it doesn’t delve deeply into the finer points of writing style or language. The focus is almost exclusively on plot and structure, which are undoubtedly crucial, but writers looking for advice on crafting prose, developing voice, or building rich, immersive worlds may find the book lacking in these areas.
Audience Suitability
The book is most suited for writers who are looking for guidance on plotting and structure. It’s particularly useful for those who struggle with getting the middle of their novel right or maintaining pacing throughout the narrative.
However, writers who already have a strong grasp of story structure might find that the book doesn’t offer much new information. Additionally, writers who prefer a more intuitive or flexible approach to storytelling may not resonate with the prescriptive nature of the beat sheet method.
How This Book Compares to Other Writing Guides
Similar Books in the Genre
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is often compared to other popular plotting guides such as Story Engineering by Larry Brooks and The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell. While Brooks’ book focuses heavily on structural engineering and Campbell’s work delves into mythic archetypes, Brody’s approach is more accessible and less academic.
The Save the Cat! method is known for its simplicity and practicality, which is why it has become such a popular tool for screenwriters and novelists alike.
Compared to other novel-writing guides, such as Stephen King’s On Writing or Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, Brody’s book is more focused on structure than on the emotional and philosophical aspects of writing.
Where King and Lamott offer advice on developing the writer’s mindset and overcoming personal obstacles, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel sticks closely to the technical aspects of story construction, making it ideal for writers who need help with plotting rather than inspiration or motivation.
Distinguishing Factors
The key factor that distinguishes Save the Cat! Writes a Novel from other writing guides is its emphasis on the beat sheet structure. This method offers a clear and replicable formula for writers to follow, which can be particularly helpful for those who struggle with plotting.
While other writing guides may offer more philosophical or motivational advice, Brody’s book provides concrete steps for writers to take when crafting their stories.
Additionally, Brody’s focus on genre and the specific beat breakdowns for different types of stories make Save the Cat! Writes a Novel highly versatile. Whether you’re writing a mystery, romance, thriller, or fantasy novel, Brody offers tailored advice on how to structure each genre according to the 15-beat formula.
This makes the book unique in its ability to adapt a general structure to specific storytelling conventions, helping writers meet the expectations of their chosen genre while maintaining originality.
Real-World Application for Writers
How Writers Can Implement the Advice
Writers can immediately implement the advice in Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by applying the 15-beat story structure to their work-in-progress. The book encourages writers to break down their novel into manageable parts, starting with the opening image and working through to the final scene.
By identifying where each beat should occur in their story, writers can ensure that their novel has a strong narrative arc and that it maintains pacing throughout.
The exercises at the end of each chapter are designed to help writers apply the concepts directly to their work. These exercises, such as identifying the “fun and games” beat or crafting a compelling midpoint, help writers see how each story beat functions within the larger structure.
Writers can also use Brody’s advice on character development, ensuring that their protagonist’s internal journey aligns with the external plot.
Benefits of Following the Book’s Advice
By following Brody’s beat sheet method, writers can expect to see improvements in the pacing and cohesion of their stories. The beat sheet provides a clear framework for structuring a novel, which helps prevent common issues such as a sagging middle or lack of narrative tension.
Writers who struggle with plotting will find the method particularly useful, as it offers a step-by-step approach to building a story that keeps readers engaged.
Additionally, the book’s focus on genre conventions ensures that writers are not only following a strong structural framework but also meeting the specific expectations of their audience.
This makes Save the Cat! Writes a Novel especially beneficial for writers working in genre fiction, where certain beats and plot points are crucial for reader satisfaction.
What Reviews Thought
Amazon Reviews
On Amazon, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is consistently praised for its practical, easy-to-follow advice. Reviewers frequently highlight the clarity of Brody’s explanations and the usefulness of the beat sheet for helping writers structure their novels.
Many readers mention that the book has helped them overcome issues with plotting and pacing, particularly in the middle sections of their stories, where writers often struggle the most.
Some reviews note that while the book is a valuable tool for beginners, more experienced writers may find the beat sheet approach too formulaic. A few reviewers express concerns that relying too heavily on the beat structure could lead to predictable or rigid storytelling.
However, the general consensus is that Save the Cat! Writes a Novel provides a helpful framework for writers, particularly those who struggle with plot and structure.
Goodreads Reviewers
Goodreads reviewers echo many of the sentiments found in the Amazon reviews, with readers praising Brody’s clear and practical approach. Many readers appreciate the specific genre breakdowns, noting that the book’s ability to tailor the beat sheet to different types of stories makes it a versatile tool for novelists across various genres.
The exercises are also frequently mentioned as a standout feature, allowing writers to actively apply the concepts to their own work rather than passively reading the advice.
Some Goodreads reviewers, however, caution against treating the beat sheet as a one-size-fits-all solution. While the method is helpful for structuring a story, a few readers feel that it could stifle creativity if followed too rigidly. Others express a desire for more in-depth advice on character development and writing style, as the book focuses primarily on plot structure.
Nonetheless, most readers agree that Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is an invaluable resource for writers, particularly those who need help with plotting and pacing.
Conclusion
Summary of Key Insights
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody is a highly practical guide for writers who need help with plotting and story structure. By adapting Blake Snyder’s popular screenwriting method for novels, Brody offers a clear, replicable framework that writers can follow to craft well-structured, engaging stories.
The book’s emphasis on the 15-beat story structure, along with its tailored advice for different genres, makes it a valuable tool for writers of all levels.
Final Recommendation
For writers struggling with plotting or pacing, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is an indispensable guide.
ts clear, step-by-step approach to story structure provides a roadmap for creating cohesive, emotionally resonant novels. While the beat sheet method may feel formulaic to some, it offers a reliable framework for writers who need help organizing their ideas into a compelling narrative.
Whether you’re a beginner trying to plot your first novel or an experienced writer looking to refine your storytelling skills, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel provides practical, actionable advice that can help take your writing to the next level.
