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A review by alexandergrantwriter
Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder
5.0
~ I enjoyed this one!! ~
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I started it last year but got busy with other reads and didn’t have a chance to go back and finish it till a week or two ago!
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I’ll start off by saying that most of the critiques I see of this book I agree with (namely that he name drops movies like crazy, presents his movie opinions as indisputable facts, and although he sold many scripts, had two movies made that received horrible reviews saying his structures were fine but they were boring and lacking emotion)
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However, I think a lot of people misinterpreted everything he was saying and every point he was trying to make. While he does present his rules as fact, he very clearly states at the beginning of the book and scattered throughout that he does expect you to break these rules and even encourages it!! He just wants you to know and recognize the rules inside and out so the breaking is conscious and purposeful as that is what will make it a good story that doesn’t alienate the audience. I think a lot of people came after him for having so many rules but they must have skipped over the part where he says he wants you to break them (just in a creative and conscious way).
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Although this is a screenwriting book, I as a novelist got a lot out of it and will definitely be referencing some of the fixing tools and beat sheets within! Even though this is fairly dated, I still recommend picking it up!! It’s a solid read! (Though probably not the last book you’ll ever need on screenwriting
•
I started it last year but got busy with other reads and didn’t have a chance to go back and finish it till a week or two ago!
•
I’ll start off by saying that most of the critiques I see of this book I agree with (namely that he name drops movies like crazy, presents his movie opinions as indisputable facts, and although he sold many scripts, had two movies made that received horrible reviews saying his structures were fine but they were boring and lacking emotion)
•
However, I think a lot of people misinterpreted everything he was saying and every point he was trying to make. While he does present his rules as fact, he very clearly states at the beginning of the book and scattered throughout that he does expect you to break these rules and even encourages it!! He just wants you to know and recognize the rules inside and out so the breaking is conscious and purposeful as that is what will make it a good story that doesn’t alienate the audience. I think a lot of people came after him for having so many rules but they must have skipped over the part where he says he wants you to break them (just in a creative and conscious way).
•
Although this is a screenwriting book, I as a novelist got a lot out of it and will definitely be referencing some of the fixing tools and beat sheets within! Even though this is fairly dated, I still recommend picking it up!! It’s a solid read! (Though probably not the last book you’ll ever need on screenwriting