A review by lostlenore_
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book on Novel Writing You'll Ever Need by Jessica Brody

5.0

Fascinating. Absolutely captivating. Many people have recommended this one on social media but I always eyed it suspiciously. I tried reading its predecessor by Blake Snyder but I really didn't find any value to it and never finished it.

This one though, this amazing book on plotting, is well-worth your time my dear writer/editor/reader. This is one of the most useful books you have to read if you want to:
a. deliver stories that stay with your readers,
b. craft characters that matter and
c. provide great developmental editing advice.

What I loved about this book were the exhaustive explanations of each beat and each story genre. Yes, it was a rather long read, but I got so much new knowledge by reading it and I'm eternally grateful.

The fifteen beats that Brody suggests resonated well with me and the story genres she identifies, even if they might seem limited for some genres (like horror or the classics) they do focus a lot on character rather than plot--something that adds a refreshing twist to the whole plotting business. And this is the key ingredient for a well-written and potentially best-selling book: your character's transformation from point X to point Z.

One of the best choices for my 2021 reading list. I'll buy it in paperback too since I'd love to reread it very soon!