Story outlining can be tough! There are various writing techniques to help structure your short-story, novel, or script. In this article, I share a useful tool used by authors and screenwriters to build an effective plot!
So, you have a book (or screenwriting) idea. You sit down in front of your laptop or notebook, and start writing. However, you soon run into a complication; how do I figure out what happens in this story, and when? How do I figure out how to give this story a good arc; something that will keep readers attention? How do I ensure the characters are progressing correctly?
Well my friends, as you may have already guessed, the solution to your problem requires a dash of “outlining”; structuring your story into sections so that you can plan ahead, and ensuring the correct flow of events to maximize the effectiveness of the story.
As many writers know, this process can create some complications in itself, with lots of brainstorming, decision making, and (most importantly) story commitment. For many, staring at a blank screen or page brings about so many wonderful possibilities. That can be a curse as much as a blessing; too much white space can be overwhelming when trying to pinpoint where to start, and where to go.
This is where story structuring techniques can be of real help!
Introduction to the Beat Sheet
In the process of writing my current book, I’ve followed the steps behind a good handful of techniques, but one item that I’ve found that was simple and easy to use for story writing, screenwriting, and similar was the Save the Cat Beat Sheet.
The reworked Save the Cat! Beat Sheet designed by Tom Gowen.
http://www.savethecat.com/tools/reworking-the-blake-snyder-beat-sheet
I was first introduced to this tool by Kristi Belcamino (http://www.kristibelcamino.com), a crime fiction writer, and one of my instructors at The Loft Literary Center, in Minneapolis, MN. She hosted a class named “Write a Mystery in Three Months, Stephen King Style” in early 2017, where she broke down the elements of a fiction novel, approaching it from the angle of crime/mystery genre fiction.
In a few of the sessions, we discussed the three-act structure, and how different stages of character and story development happen in different points in a story. She presented the Save the Cat Beat Sheet, a diagram/open sheet which provides a clear formula into how a good story is built by understanding these stages.
Breaking Down the Beat Sheet (Three Act Structure)
Also a useful tool, The Transformation Machine One-Sheet:
http://www.savethecat.com/tools/the-transformation-machine-one-sheet
About the Save the Cat Beat Sheet
This method was popularized by Blake Snyder, the renown screen-writer and producer (such as Disneys “Blank Check”, 1994), and former instructor at Chapman, UCLA, Vanderbilt, and the Beijing Film Academy.
His book “Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need”, was published in May 2005, and has had more than a couple dozen re-printings since. While Blake died in 2009, his method for story-structuring has spread, being used by hundreds of novelists and screenwriters. Many other writers have even developed their own resources based upon the beat sheet, such as the paranormal writer Jami Gold.
You can find Jami Gold’s “Save the Cat Beat Sheet” resources here:
Also, if you want to see a number of examples of how to use this sheet, the Save the Cat website has a large number of filled sheets structuring a wide variety of stories (Harry Potter, Star Wars, Pride and Prejudice, Black Panther, Breaking Bad S01E01, The Shining, etc. )
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone Beat Sheet
- The Shining Book/Movie Beat Sheet Comparison – The Book
- The Shining Book/Movie Beat Sheet Comparison – The Movie
- Breaking Bad Pilot Beat Sheet by Geoff Harris
- Star Wars Beat Sheet – Part One
- Star Wars Beat Sheet – Part Two
- Black Panther Beat Sheet
- Pride and Prejudice Beat Sheet
You can find the full alphabetical listing here:
Or Google your favorite movie, and add “Beat Sheet”
Happy writing!
This article is an informational piece about the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet and Blake Snyder, and is provided under Fair Use. ChaoticanWriter imposes no ownership of the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet. All rights reserved to www.savethecat.com.
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