The Review
What really spoke to me about the book was as a novelist it was great to see how the process of storytelling from a more modern lens looked and felt. Applying the pattern that was discovered and applied to successful novels and screenplays to our own works was unique, and showcased the things that worked and the things that didn’t.

On top of that, the author takes readers through the important steps of developing and nurturing a story, from identifying the “hero” of the story to the genres being explored, the pitch that you’ll want to sell the story to readers, and the beats that can be touched upon throughout the narrative. The novel is thorough, detailed, and does an amazing job of not necessarily declaring one writing style over another to be “superior”, but instead guiding the writer in the process of discovering their own voice while still following a pattern of success.

As for the software itself, the ability to utilize the program for screenplays, television shows, and novels was a treat, and could even divide the novel into larger series overall. I decided to utilize my novel “The Legend of Electric Fusion”, a book I wrote years ago I am in the process of rewriting and utilized it for this software.

The technology allowed me to start breaking down my characters more fully. Not only getting into more detailed descriptions of the characters, but their overall motivations and goals moving forward. This helped me to see a more clear path for the narrative to take moving forward. It is a truly organized, structured, and detailed path for those who follow the plotter style of writing than anything else.

The Verdict
A must-read book and fantastic software that writers and readers alike will fall in love with. Motivating and inspiring, the book helps foster creativity and bring stories more fully to life than ever before. It is a great step in helping to hone the writer’s craft and give readers a chance to see into the complex process of developing an engaging novel. Be sure to grab your copy today!

I'm a writing advice fan and I'm always open to exploring the latest and greatest way a writer can improve upon their process. I first heard about "Save the Cat!" through a few ladies from WOW! Women on Writing. When I put the blog tour together, I knew I wanted to review this book too.

In Save the Cat! Writes the Novel, you are introduced to a few things. First, you are introduced to their story structure via 15 story beats. These are those 15 beats:

Opening Image.
Theme Stated.
Set-Up
Catalyst
Debate
Break into 2
B Story
Fun and Games
Midpoint
Bad Guys Close In
All is Lost
Dark Night of the Soul
Break into 3
Finale
Final Image

Don't let these 15 beats intimidate you! These 15 story beats are visited in depth in this book. One of my favorite aspects of this book is that it utilizes popular fiction in order to portray what each beat represents.

Another really interesting aspect to the book is that it introduces new genres. And they provide insight into how readers usually expect novels in these genres to wrap up. I think this is incredibly helpful if you feel stuck in your storytelling or you feel like something isn't "right" with the story you are trying to tell.

The thing is I am a "pantser" or another term I've heard recently is, I'm a "discovery" writer. I don't outline in advance but what I like is the idea of using these beats to track the direction I want to go in my story. Without outlining, I run the risk of being aimless and Save the Cat! Writes the Novel provides me with a map that I can use along the way.

If you are trying to find your own writing method or your own writing storytelling process, I absolutely recommend that you purchase this book. It will help you as it helped me. Whatever kind of writing you do, you will be helped by this book.