Okay, I'll admit it: I've bought this book three times so far.
The first time, I was new to fiction and - as a published nonfiction author - I needed insights to craft my romance and adventure plots.
Then, after I figured I'd gleaned everything I needed to know from "Save The Cat!," I donated the book to a local charity shop.
The second time, I was in the middle of a short story (fiction) and desperately needed to understand why my story was stuck. In under 10k words, the story seemed to hit all the right plot points, but... no, it was a truly horrible story. Even I couldn't stay awake, re-reading it.
So, I bought this book again, and read it. I had my "ah-HA!" moment, and - thinking I Knew It All - I donated the book to the local charity, again.
But then (deep sigh) a few months later, I was reading about marketing. Trying to understand why my book blurbs were a yawn.
As an indie author, occasional blogger, and possibly aspiring to vlogging, I kept hearing that I needed to craft my marketing better, so it read like a story.
No big deal, right...? I mean, I'm a writer. Fans like some (not all) of my books. I should know ALL about story.
But... I didn't. I just couldn't seem to use story elements in my marketing materials. And don't even ask about how lackluster my YouTube videos were. (I'm blushing, even as I'm writing this.)
So... yes, I bought this book again. And realized that "Save The Cat!" applies to SO much in business, as well as writing and in everyday life, this time I'd better keep it on my bookshelf.
Chances are, I'll need it again and again.
I'm giving this book four stars because it's not the most entertaining or engaging book I've ever read.
On the other hand, it may be one of the most important books for many aspects of my professional life.
You'll probably feel the same when you test-drive the advice in it. It really is a brilliant series of concepts.
And learn from my mistakes. After reading this book, place "Save The Cat!" with your reference books. Chances are, you'll revisit it over and and over again.
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The number one thing a good logline must have, the single most important element, is: irony.Highlighted by 7,343 Kindle readers- The second most important element that a good logline has is that you must be able to see a whole movie in it.Highlighted by 6,241 Kindle readers
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If you’ve been writing fiction for any length of time, you’ve probably heard about Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat series of books. They’re books that were originally written to help screenwriters improve their craft, but became quite popular among writers of many creative disciplines because they provide a very accurate, concise, and some would even say easy plot model. As you know, constructing a plot from nothing can be difficult. These books, especially the first one, provide a way to do so without inducing paralyzing anxiety. I dare say that they’re a necessity for every writer who wants to get published.What’s In Save the Cat?A tabby cat dangling from a rope, with the words "Save the Cat: the Last Book on Screenwriting That You'll Ever Need" above it.In Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting That You’ll Ever Need, Snyder describes 15 “beats” or benchmarks that every plot needs to have, no matter the medium it’s displayed in. Whether words or moving pictures are used to tell a story, it should always start with an opening image and progress throughTheme StatedSet-upCatalystDebateBreak Into TwoB StoryFun and GamesMidpointBad Guys Close InAll is LostDark Night of the SoulBreak Into ThreeFinaleFinal ImageAll of these benchmarks—aptly described in the book—should lend themselves towards showing the main character doing something, being proactive. This could mean saving a cat, going with Hagrid to Hogwarts and leaving a known life behind, or undergoing a makeover to become an undercover beauty queen. It’s the essence that defines who the hero is and makes the reader like him or her.Who Would Like Save the Cat, And Why?As mentioned, anyone who’s serious about writing The Greatest Book of All Time. It’s designed, Snyder says, primarily for writers who intend to pitch/query agents in mainstream movie-making and publishing. I think that’s because it’s based on the premise that you’ll use one- to two-sentence descriptions of each of those beats to pitch to agents. Although there are many, many plot models out there—three-act structure, hero’s journey, dramatica, etc.—this is the one I’ve found to be the easiest and smoothest. It’s a compromise between totally outlining and just “pantsing” it: enough structure (and the right kind of it) to get your story started, but not so much that it overwhelms your creativity before you even start writing a book. It’s also very helpful in showing the main character proactively progressing through the book’s plot, not just reacting to various crises.Find the full review of this book, as well as many other writerly advice posts, at HeadOverTales.com.
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Top reviews from other countries
John
One of the best books on creating a story that I have read so far.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 17, 2018Dave McG.
Good for beginners
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 8, 2018lovemeslender
Check the edition date
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 24, 2022
Check the edition date
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 24, 2022
This is partially my fault for not checking the edition date - I assume there is a newer one than 2005 but I just ordered the first one that came up!Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 24, 2022
Being so old, a lot of the films that are mentioned as recent are obviously a bit out of date, as is all the talk of checking newspapers for movie listings etc. I bought this as I already had a copy of ‘save the cat writes a novel’ but as I’m studying screenwriting as part of an MA, I thought I should get this too. It’s not particularly well written or succinct - there are quite a few typos. Having said that, Blake knows his stuff and does impart it in a long winded way. Personally, I found the outdated references really off putting & the games for coming up with ideas were very basic and again felt like they needed a re write. But all the infamous ‘beats’ are here!
Having read a few screenwriting books recently I think there are better books out there, notably John Yorke’s Into the Woods. Or Trottier’s screen writing bible covers all the screenwriting how to books in one with minimal waffle (just ignore the hideous cover. Even though it looks super 1990s, it’s a 2019 edition).
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Procrastinating Pete
An alternative pet based title could be 'The Dogs Boll*cks"
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 19, 2018
An alternative pet based title could be 'The Dogs Boll*cks"
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 19, 2018
I love this book, this is the third copy I have of this book as I loan copies out and give them out as presents to people. This book turned me from a bloke who had lots of ideas to a bloke who could class himself as a screenwriter.Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 19, 2018
Beat sheet adds the structure to your screenplays. I now have 3 boards 90 cm x 55 cm hung on doors to use for screenwriting.
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Wood Gnome
Screenwriters need this on their bookshelf
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 20, 2017
