Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book on Novel Writing You’ll Ever Need by Jessica Brody
A priceless book!
I was already familiar with Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat! script writing method from YouTube so I knew how it generally worked and how many movies actually use this structure to tell their stories. I was applying those ideas to my story writing but wanted to have a better (more professional) translation of how these beats directly applied to novels, so I’m happy that Jessica Brody already did the work and did so in such a brilliant manner.
Not only does this book breakdown each of the 15+ Save the Cat! beats within the three act structure telling you what they accomplish and why they’re important, she shows you how these work in published novels from many genres such as Grapes of Wrath, Hunger Games, The Fault in Our Stars and more.
On top of that, Jessica also goes into detail on the 10 Save the Cat! story genres, mixing the genres, how to pitch a novel, some frequently asked questions and more. It really is an extensive book that covers all the bases!
Bottom line: it’s a great tried-and-true formula using the three act structure in it’s own way. Yes, there are other methods out there and you should definitely be aware of them and use those if suited. All said, Save the Cat! by Jessica Brody is another great tool in any author’s arsenal.
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