A while ago, I wrote a series of posts about how I brainstormed my new project. Back then, I promised to also write a post about how I outline. Today, I’m finally fulfilling that promise (sooo sorry it took me this long, but: life happened).
I hope you’ll find my rantings helpful! Of course, writing remains a highly subjective thing: what works for me doesn’t necessarily have to work for you (and that’s perfectly okay).
Save the Cat!
Save the Cat is a writing “blueprint” created by Hollywood screenwriter Blake Snyder. Originally intended for writing screenplays, Snyder’s blueprint is now often used by novelists to help outline their books.
“Save the Cat” derives its name from a screenwriting rule that says: “The hero has to do something when we meet him so that we like him and want him to win.” Thus, at the beginning of your story, the protagonist has to do something heroic — like saving a cat — to endear them to the reader. Naturally, this action is also included in Snyder’s blueprint.
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel
In 2018, author Jessica Brody adapted Snyder’s blueprint and formally applied it to writing a novel. While the principles are the same, there are some differences in the way she approaches the blueprint.
I like to use Brody’s adaptation of the Save the Cat method for outlining my stories, and I highly recommend purchasing the book (seriously, I still consider it one of the best craft books I ever bought).
Save the Cat! Beat Sheet
Snyder and Brody believe that each story must have 15 things: the 15 “plot points” that are found in almost every successful novel. These “plot points” are called “beats” and occur in more or less the same place in each story. Together, they make up the “beat sheet” of a novel.
I view this beat sheet as the outline of my story, but I also use it to test my first draft: do I have all the beats, and do I have them in the right place in the story based on my word count? Should I move them forward or backward?
By the way, the beat sheet does not only help with outlining the plot; it also helps with developing successful character arcs, and it ensures the pacing of the story (conflict, high stakes, huzza)!
With a Dash of Romance
In addition to the beats from Save the Cat, I include a few beats from author Jami Gold’s beat sheet for romance writers. I got this idea from author Alexandra Bracken, who did a “Writing Diaries” series on Instagram. In the series, she brainstorms, outlines, and drafts one of her projects. It’s a really cool “sneak peek into a professional author’s way of working: Bracken takes several different beat sheets, then “mixes and matches” the beats to come to a beat sheet that works for her. It’s genius!
Because I want my stories to have some romantic tension, I take my Save the Cat beat sheet and add a few of Gold’s romance beats to help me determine where I should sprinkle the spice.
Okay…
Okay! The above might sound a bit vague, but in my next post I will be diving into my beat sheet to show you what it looks like. Stay tuned!