How to Write a Novel in 15 Steps with the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet
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- Опубликовано: 10 июл 2024
- Learn how to write, revise, or outline a novel using the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet!
*AUTOMATICALLY CALCULATE WHERE THE BEATS GO WITH MY SAVE THE CAT! NOVEL CALCULATOR*
www.jessicabrody.com/2020/12/...
✍️ FREE RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:
◦ Save the Cat! Starter Kit - www.writingmastery.com/save-t...
◦ Novel Revision Kick Start Guide - www.writingmastery.com/level-...
◦ Writing Routine Quick Start Guide - www.writingmastery.com/writin...
◦ Free Monthly Writing Tips - www.writingmastery.com/writin...
🖥️ MY ONLINE, ON-DEMAND WRITING COURSES:
◦ The Official Save the Cat! Novel Writing Course - Start for free here: www.writingmastery.com/save-t...
◦ The Complete Novel Revision Course - Start for free here: www.writingmastery.com/the-co...
◦ Novel Fast Drafting Course - Start for free here: www.writingmastery.com/novel-...
◦ All Writing Mastery Courses: - Start for free here: www.writingmastery.com
📚 BOOKS FOR WRITERS:
◦ Save the Cat! Writes a Novel - www.jessicabrody.com/books/no...
◦ Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel - www.jessicabrody.com/books/no...
✉️ CONNECT WITH ME ONLINE:
◦ Website: jessicabrody.com
◦ Twitter: / jessicabrody
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💁🏻♀️ ABOUT ME:
Jessica Brody is the author SAVE THE CAT! WRITES A NOVEL as well as more than 20 novels for teens, tweens, and adults, published by Simon & Schuster, Random House, Macmillan, and Disney Press. Her books have been translated and published in over 23 countries and several have been optioned for film and TV. She is the founder of the Writing Mastery Academy, an innovative online learning platform for fiction writers. 
Развлечения
Ms. Brody, thoroughly enjoyed the video. Video may be slightly misleading - "Save the Cat!" was originally discovered and recorded by Blake Snyder. I think some mention of his foundational effect on your work would be more forthright. Thank you for the video, it is helping me in my writing.
But Jessica comes right out with her attitude of gratitude for the WISE AND SAGACIOUS BLAKE SNYDER...obviously she is expanding on his 15 Beat it Out Outline...
Happy to find you.
Girl your book rocks.
I owe you a lot.
My idea is taking real shape after reading your book.
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Love your writing style❤️❤️❤️❤️
I think that because this was originally Blake Snyder's idea, you should give him credit in the beginning of your video. You imply Save the Cat is all your idea, even though you give him credit on the title of your book.
Jessica, thanks for writing such a helpful book on outline a novel. I'm currently reading it and finding it very useful.
Okay this is actually SOOO USEFUL. Thank youuu
I listened to your Save the Cat writes a novel audio book and it was awesome! Cool to see a face on the voice!
Thank you Jess! ♥
Thank you 🙏🏻
So clear!
I just easily wrote my outline with this guide! TYSM
Well done! Thank you :)
Your StC guide has a prominent place on my desk, it's fantastic! Love your courses, but I like this CliffNotes video of StC
I'm so happy to know my StC guide is helpful for you! And thanks for your nice comments! Best of luck with your writing!
Excellent summary! Very clear, concise, and "portable." Thank you and Happy New Year!
Thanks so much! I'm happy it helped you! Happy New Year to you as well.
Best "save the cat" video!
You explained in a better way. 🙂
Thank you so much for taking all the time to figure this out and then distill it for us
I just purchased StCWaN Jessica! Plot structure is my Achiles heel. I know, and been told, I am truly able to create intersting characters and flesh out settings with competent world building; however, I still have to find a way to outline my plots in a manner that favors pace and an adequate set up to satisfying premise deliveries. I reasearched extensively for a fix, and find your method to have the most simplistic approach. I feel so fortunate and extremely grateful that you made this available to other writers - excited to start rewriting. Thank you!
Plot structure can be so hard, and I'm glad you are enjoying the Save the Cat method as much as I do! Good luck with your writing!
@@jessicabrody1 Been watching many different creative writing advice channels { watching 'em from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺 } . Most of the videos i hope to help me with writing my 1st novel are from Abbie Emmons . I've been thinking 🤔 about writing my novel with the " Save the Cat 🦸♂️ 🐈 " method , But now after watching this video I'm not so sure . !- 15 Steps -! 😩😮💨 Why not just 5 ? ♑️✍️🇦🇺🇳🇴
Thank you!
You're welcome! I'm glad it is helpful!
Thank you! This video is really helpful to just quickly sum up all the beats. I’ve read the book and am taking your courses, but sometimes a quick overview like this can help cement things in my brain.
Fantastic! I'm delighted that the video is helping, along with my book and courses! Keep going with your writing!
@@jessicabrody1 Thank you!
A new subscriber.
amazing
This has been super helpful, thank you! I'm curious how this applies to books in a series, where the story doesn't wrap up neatly at the end.
Thank you! I'm so glad it has been helpful! I discuss how STC works in a series in this post, which you may find useful: www.jessicabrody.com/2020/05/how-heroes-transform-across-series-save-the-cat-for-series/
@@jessicabrody1 I read the article you shared. Thank you. With regard to plotting a trilogy using the 15 beats, is it fair to assume the 15 beats of the main character’s arc be spread out over all three books (for example, beat six happens 20% into the series) while giving each individual book their own 15 beats for the smaller arcs that support the primary arc? 🤔
This comment was very relieving because i am writing a four part series
This is an excellent book.
Also,when will I stop watching videos on how to write a novel and really write a novel..😢
Bravo! Beautiful! Homages! ✨✨✨ JAR
I'd love to see you try out Plottr software with Save the Cat beats.
All movies are Predictable and its all because of the midpoint. The all hope is lost moment. I know whatever the hero wants will appear to be lost in the middle of the film. In pixar its always 2 character fight then seperate then 5 minutes later they come back together. They should get rid of the midpoint.
I don't understand... "Theme stated" is on number 2, but in the example sheets, it's on different numbers. Where does it go??
Hi, I read Save the Cat, and it revolutionised my writing. When You sit down to write the first draft, do you use anything, so you can see scenes in the order they will happen, not just how they relate to the beats? Thank you 😊
Super helpful! just wondering, how would you do these steps in a Novel that follows three different main characters that meet up and work together? If you have any suggestions on resources for this question that would be extremely helpful. And thanks again for sharing this video!
if you read the book, she does a breakdown of the book/movie - "The Help", which has exactly 3 characters. I think it was chapter 6
Thank you
Iam from india
So helpful! Thank you so much
Would this process work with early chapter books/children's books?
What is the would be hero is not the major character or really can't win in the first book? But the evil/negative character is the one that wins. Do I put that character in the hero's position?
Very surprised you fail to credit Blake Snyder, inventor of the Save the Cat method.
I ordered this book cause I want to learn how to write a good story. I can't wait to get it in the mail. Any good tips for grammar. I'm 30 and it's been many years since I went to school
Read a lot of different books and try and repeat some sentences or words when you're writing until you get the hang of it. If you don't know something, don't be afraid to open any online dictionary to look for definitions, spelling or even synonyms. This is the way I study grammar as a non-native English speaker.
Trying to sign up on your website and get the pdf, but the button just keeps loading and never processes. Anything I can do?
3:13
Does this also work for fanfiction 🤔
Being in school, and working full-time makes it hard for me to find time to continue reading StC but each time I put it down or look at it I feel it calling my name and rolling its eyes. Can't wait to complete it.
I always look into your book whenever i am lost but i am facing a problem... i have this different versions of an idea and i dont know which one would work best... is there method to find that out? And also if the story changes after midpoint and it cant be added in logline because it completely changes... what to do then? Because there must a one goal but action changes in midpoint?
I'm so glad the guide has been helping you! You may need to plot out both versions of your idea to get a sense of what is working. Update your plan if the ideas change. And these are great questions! I've added them to my list of possible future video topics. Best of luck with your writing!
This is a great outline to follow. I came here first to decide if I want to try the book. I wonder if this same setup can work for non fiction?
2:55 Unfortunately, I cannot find your NovelOutline PDF.
Does anyone know if this applies to all genders off book ??
I have a few questions: first, does the percentage have to be super accurate? Like, if I want the crazy section to only go to 40% or go to 60, would that be fine? Also, what if my plot point expands the world yet again. Example from a show I really love: most of the show sets up this world where humans cower behind a circle of walla in fear of man eating titans that apparently came from no where, but a little more than halfway through the story, we find out that humanity had been living outside the walls, and that those giants where just people turned into giants and used to terrorize the people in the walls. This also increases the size of the world drastically, and we see how the characters interacted in that new world. I'm asking if you can make exceptions to the rules, or if something like this is just a repeat of the first thing
Any "rule" is breakable in writing...but you must tread carefully. If you are not a published author and do not know what you are doing, then deviating from industry expectations might not be a good idea.
If your goal is publishing with an established house, it is best to listen to advice from published authors who have sold manuscripts.
Self-publish...do what you want and good luck.
Is it bad if #7 is actually #6 in a story?
0:35
I thought: 15 StEpS!!!
lol, i was reading through her book at a bookstore while waiting for my car to get fixed, and she speaks the same way she writes.....
Hi , I am middle of ur save the cat it's realy help full but i have small query that there is line several time and dint get mean.."raising the stakes of the story".."The stakes of the story are raised".. Many time i read this word stakes.. What's it's mean can u explain pls. Becs i could not go further bcs of this particular word and related to this word. 🙏👍 I am waiting ur response
Mmm steak..
Raising stakes is increasing conflict and tension.
I suggest the book 'Conflict and Suspense' by James Scott Bell. To have conflict (and raise the stakes) he says there must be some kind of death involved for the characters, either physical, professional or psychological.
During beat six I could literally picture a scene of my book like a movie, really strange bc that doesn't happen often but cool
What is different here vs the original Save the Cat?
The original one works best for screen writers (for movies, series, etc) and even though it stills works for novels, here you get a better idea of how it would work for a novel. they're the same beats and definitons, anyway.
Sukaa, ga pelit ilmu
What happens when the novel begins with a prolog?
I think the prologue isn't part of this beat sheet because, unless it finishes right before where you start chapter one (in terms of time I mean), and/or it isn't from the point of view of the protagonist, it isn't part of the opening image, because it isn't part of the present, normal life of the character before everything changes.
Those were too many "it isn't"s but I hope you understood what I was talking about.
Why are there more "authors" selling courses on how to write than actual authors writing new Novels? Hmmmm. Suspicious. Like the house-flipping online courses. Why would the guy sell his house-flipping secrets instead of just flipping more houses?
Also weird (as others have said), Jessica didn't write Save The Cat, Blake Snyder did. Jessica's novels are exclusively for young adults. Nothing wrong with that, except that an adult novel is usually more complex. So keep that in mind. While this beat sheet could come in handy, it should probably only be used lightly as a guide. For example, the first mention of the antagonist on the beat sheet isn't until the MidPoint. Huh? No antagonist, no 1st half of the story! There are many elements not in the beat sheet that are typically found in great books, like plot twists and foreshadowing, just to name two. You are better off critically reading many books in your proposed genre to see the structure and other fundamentals. You can't color by numbers a novel. Get creative and fly by the seat of your pants using a little structure. Great painters or songwriters didn't have formulas. They became inspired and then created.
Thank you for this comment. These beat sheets are too rigid. I an still kind of a beginner so am trying to work with the basic structure and experiment with each story. Figuring out my process.
if ever in Germany, first round on me.
I guess I just don't see it as better than the 27 chapter, maybe it's faster paced but could leave out things?
But give credit to original author of Save the Cat! For screenplays. He's dead but originated this series.
No. He didnt create story structure
@@kayag8 no. But it's an awful lot easier to read than Hero's journey.
@@billieblake6227 he didnt create anything. Blake was a hack. His movies sucked
@@kayag8 why are we arguing? I liked his books. I read Campbell and I learned from him but what I learned from Blake addressed MY needs. Instead of hacking at me, offer helpful info, i.e. who helped you? Communities are better with information instead of criticism. I am just fine with character development, etc. I struggled with plot lines. Like every recipe, it's a guideline. If you gave me a cake recipe, I would bring my experience to it and change it to reflect my ideas. I also wondered why I found his books useful when I disliked his movies. But I did.
@@billieblake6227 I hate this method because its predictable and its all because of the midpoint. The all hope is lost moment. I know whatever the hero wants will appear to be lost in the middle of the film. In kids films and comedies its always 2 character fight then seperate then 5 minutes later they come back together.
What you like to call "beats" is what everybody else likes to call "beats".
Why are trying to take credit for someone else’s work? You didn’t write “Save the Cat” so why are you trying to take the credit? You wrote “Save the Cat Write a Novel” but it’s not your work. You’re just taking someone else’s work and rewording it. You're a fake and a loser. Come up with your own ideas and then write the book instead of using other people's work. Technically it's a copyright infringement unless you have their permission.
Follow this rigid outline that hundreds of thousands of other authors are using for a dynamic and compelling story. Think the first Suicide Squad movie proves that this outline shouldn't be taken as dogma.
All movies are Predictable and its all because of the midpoint. The all hope is lost moment. I know whatever the hero wants will appear to be lost in the middle of the film. In pixar its always 2 character fight then seperate then 5 minutes later they come back together. They should get rid of the midpoint.