Jessica Brody
When trying to sell my first novel, I kept getting rejected – over and over.
And now: I have both “Save the Cat Writes a Novel” and “Save the Cat
Writes a Young Adult Novel”
Why? Storytelling structure is universal.
The Inciting Incident occurred approximately 10% into the novel.
And this pattern repeated throughout the novel structure
Here are the five major plot development points in “Save the Cat
- 10% - Life Changing Event
- 20% - Hero Tries Something New
- 50% - Major Turning Point
- 75% - Rock Bottom
- 80% - Hero Finds a Resolution
Put into a standard plot dialect, these points are called “Catalyst – Break into Act 2 – Midpoint – All is Lost – Break into Act 3”
These are five single-scene events in the story
What is the “Save the Cat Method”?
1. A structure “blueprint” – a series of plot points that can be found in every great story ever told
2. A transformation machine
- An imperfect hero goes into the beat sheet
- a less-imperfect hero comes out
3. The “Save the Cat” Beat Sheet
- 3 Acts/15 Beats (or plot points)
- make your story more compelling
- Help with pacing
- Hold your reader’s attention
- Leave your reader feeling satisfied
The 15 Beats
Beat 1. (single scene) The Opening Image
- Sets the tone, style, and mood of the story
- The “before” snapshot of your flawed main character (hero/ine)
- The starting point of their transformation
- Shows who the hero is and what their life is like
- also, the first glimpse of your “world”
- Works best when it’s visual and shows the hero interacting with the world
Beat 2. (multi-scene) Set-up
- Scenes use to explore the hero’s “status quo” life and all its flaws
- What the hero’s life looks like before its epic transformation
- Include a “Save the Cat Moment” (if necessary)
- Introduces other supporting characters
- Introduces the hero’s primary goal
- Something external and tangible the hero is pursuing (wants)
- A chance to show more of your world
- Demonstrates why this hero/world needs to change, while hinting at the
stakes at risk should they not change
Beat 3. (single scene in middle of multi-scene) Theme Stated
- Statement made by a secondary character that hints at what the hero’s
arc/transformation will be
- What the hero must learn/discover/overcome by story’s end
- Usually related to a flaw or fear that must be conquered
- Can also be referred to as a “life lesson”
Beat 4. (single scene) Catalyst
- Inciting incident/life-changing event
- Catapults the hero into a new world or new way of thinking
- An action beat big enough to prevent the hero from returning to the
“status quo” life
- Break-ups, deaths, firings, attacks, invitations are popular choices
Beat 5. (multi-scene) Debate
- Multiple scenes/chapters for the hero to react to what happened in the
Catalyst
- Hero debates what to do next
- Usually presented in the form of a question
- Should I go? What do I do? Am I ready? What does it mean?
- Can also be a “preparation section”
- Purpose of this beat is to show your hero’s reluctance to change and make
the upcoming decision to feel realistic
Beat 6. (single scene) Break into Act 2
- Moment when the Hero Decides to :
- Accept the call to action
- Leave their comfort zone
- Try something new
- Venture into a new world/new way of thinking
- Proactive beat that separates the “status quo” world of Act 1 from new “upside-down” world of Act 2
- A new or modified goal is often introduced
- Something the hero will pursue through first half of Act 2
Beat 7. (single scene) “B Story”
- Introduction of a new character who will (ultimately) help the hero learn
the theme (or life lesson)
- This character represents the “B Story” (internal story) of the novel
- Can come in the form of:
- Love interest
- Mentor
- Friend
- Nemesis
- Sidekick
- Other
- You can have more than one “B story” as long as they represent the theme
in different ways
Beat 8. (multi-scene) Fun and Games
- Sequence of scenes/chapters where hero navigates their new world
- How are they faring?
- Loving it? Hating it? Succeeding? Failing?
- We see the hero pursuing their new “Act 2” goal
- making strides to achieve it
- or struggling to achieve it
- This beat is also called the “promise of the premise”
- represents the “hook” of the novel
- Why the reader picked up the novel in the first place
- premise = an Act 1 hero in an Act 2 world
- It’s possible this act is only “fun” for the reader
Beat 9. (single scene) Midpoint
- Literally the middle of the novel
- The “Fun and Games” culminates in either:
- a “false victory” - the hero has been succeeding and/or has achieved
their goal
- a “false defeat” – the hero has been floundering and/or has not
achieved their goal
- Something happens to raise the stakes and push the hero in a new
direction
- popular choices: plot twists, time clocks, shocking reveals, ramp-up of
the “love story”
- All these things push the hero closer to real change
- It is no longer “fun and games,” things are getting serious
- Usually leads to a new or modified goal for the hero to pursue
Beat 10. (multi-scene) Bad Guys Close In
- If the midpoint was a “false victory”:
- This will be a downward path where things get progressively worse for
the hero
- If the midpoint was a “false defeat:
the hero
- Regardless of path, conflict, stakes and tension are heightened
- This is also called “Conflict Closes In”
- The hero’s flaws (“internal bad guys”) put more pressure on the hero to
change
- Because of the midpoint, the hero has a new or modified goal to pursue
Beat 11. (single scene) All is Lost
- Lowest point of the novel
- Action beat where something happens to the hero that pushes them to
rock bottom
- Often, there’s a “failure” to achieve a goal or a “loss” of something
important to the hero
- Typically includes a “whiff of death”
- Something dies (literally or metaphorically)
- Symbolizes the “death of the old hero” and the upcoming “rebirth of a
transformed hero”
Beat 12. (multi-scene) Dark Night of the Soul
- Another reaction beat where the hero takes time to process what’s
happened
- Similar to the “Debate” (after the “Catalyst)
- Also called the “wallowing beat”
- Hero should be worse off here than anywhere in the novel
- Feels like the darkest hour but really, it’s the darkness before the dawn
- The moment before the hero finds the solution
- Often includes a “Dark Night Epiphany” where the final clue falls into place,
or the hero has a life-changing realization
Beat 13. (single scene) Break into Act 3
- The Dark Night Epiphany leads to an ‘aha’ moment and a solution
- A breakthrough: the hero realizes what they have to do
- To fix all of the problems from Act 2
- To fix themselves
- The character arc is nearly complete
- Often comes with a new or modified goal/plan (Act 3 goal)
Beat 14. (multi-scene) Finale
- If the Break into Act 3 is the decision to act, the Finale is the
implementstion
- The hero must prove they really hav learned the theme by enacting the
plan or goal they came up wit at the Break into Act 3
- Bad guys are destroyed, flaws are conquered, histages are rescued, lovers
are reunited (often with the help of the “B Story” character)
- It’s not easy! It’s a test! (with lots of conflict)
- These scenes are often calles “The Climax”
- Not only is the hero’s world saved, but it’s usually a better place than it
was before
Beat 15. (single scene) Final Image
- The “after” snapshot of your hero
- The “end point” of their transformation
- Shows who the hero is after their exciting journey has changed them
- Works best when it’s visual; and somehow mirrors the Opening Image”
