On to step 4 of how to write novels!
We’re going to talk about the Save The Cat and the 21 point template now. I’ve talked about those before on this blog, but this is an appropriate spot to talk about it again!
When I first began working on my screenplays, I somehow got it wrong, and read that you need 4 acts. So, I wasn’t making any real progress. Then of course, I kept running into references to Blake Snyder and the “Save The Cat” book.
I would have been more skeptical if I’d done research on Blake Snyder first. See, he’s sold several movies!
Only two of them ever got filmed, both for Disney. But he made millions during the time that Paramount began trying to do a takeover of the movie industry, and spec scripts were selling for millions and never got filmed. Like “Nuclear Family”, written by Blake Snyder and sold for 1.8 Million. Still sitting in a Script Vault somewhere.
But one thing Snyder is really good at… is writing how to books.
Was this his way to make money in between million dollar movie deals? You betcha.
And his system is GOOD.
1 — Opening Image 0:00:00
A visual or scene that sets the tone of the story and introduces the protagonist.
2 — The Theme Stated 0:05:00
A scene that sets up or teases the message or essential truth of your story.
3 — Set-Up 0:00 to 10:00
Scenes that introduce the characters’ world, introduce supporting characters, and point to changes to come.
4 — Catalyst / Inciting Incident 12:00
The surprise moment that turns the protagonist’s world upside down and kicks off the main plot.
5 — Debate 12:00 to 25:00
Tension mounts and the protagonist ponders whether to undertake the journey. What is at stake?
6 — Break into Act II 25:00
The protagonist chooses to take action and the journey begins; protagonist enters a new and strange experience.
7 — B-Story 30:00
The protagonist learns about the theme, usually with the aid of a mentor, friend, or love interest
8 — Fun and Games 30:00 to 55:00
The conflict kicks into high gear: bad guys attack, lovers fight, mysteries deepen
9 — Midpoint 55:00
The second big turning point: Goals are achieved… but a reversal upsets the plan. This story is far from finished.
10 — Bad Guys Close In 55:00 to 75:00
Troubles pile up in the fallout from the Midpoint, either from literal “bad guys” or the hero’s flaws and doubts.
11 — Crisis / All Is Lost 75:00
The opposite moment from the Midpoint: A disaster that makes the goal appear to be impossible
12 — Dark Night of the Soul 75:00 to 85:00
In the aftermath of the Crisis, the hero hits rock bottom emotionally as everything falls apart.
13 — Break into Act III 85:00
The B-Story [7] returns to provide fresh ideas or a new inspiration, derived from the Theme [2].
14 — Finale 85:00 to 110:00
The protagonist tries again, drawing on experience and understanding of the Theme in the climactic sequence.
15 — Final Image 110:00
The flip side of the Opening Image [1], showing how the protagonist and the world have changed.
This is the Save The Cat template. I got this summary of it from the Evernote template (sorry, I don’t know who to credit for this!). If it works for MOVIES, it’ll work for BOOKS.
So someone made a Excel spreadsheet calculator for Save The Cat for novels. You’ll have to google search, because I have it saved but I don’t remember where it came from (Jami Gold?). You can use that to plan out your novel.
Now, these beats are NOT sufficient! If you rely solely on this to get your book written, you’ll fail miserably.
So, do this…
Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
Now add Scenes 1-7 in between. This is my 21 point template. You need roughly 40 beats to complete a movie, and that’s a good structure starting point for novels.
Act 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Act 2
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Act 3
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
Scene 1
My experience shows me that if you put the Save The Cat beats in there, you now have about 9 beats or so to fill in. It’s getting better!
Now, you need about 19 more beats to complete your story.
This is where the corkboard in Scrivener shines! You fill in your save the cat synopsis (and your story specific details) in each index card. Make sure you do your 21 cards, then… add 19 more.
Once you have your synopsis written on all 40 cards, it’s time to start. Don’t worry! You’ll know if its working or not by a sudden slowdown in your writing! That means what you’re writing is not conforming to what you put on the corkboard! So… change the corkboard to make it work!
If you want concrete examples of how to do it, Blake Snyder’s website has many movies broken down into their Save The Cat. But I recommend even novelists getting Save The Cat to study (the book, not the program!).
This is your last phase of planning the story.
