As with any profession, professional development is ongoing. For writing, this means continually learning about how to write and exploring existing works in my chosen genre. Since I write fantasy, I read a lot of fantasy. As for improving my writing craft… the supply is endless, but there are a few gems I’ve gleaned from over the years.
If you haven’t heard of the Save the Cat series, then let me introduce it to you. Save the Cat is a book about story structure. It has sold well because it’s helped countless authors find a structure that works! I just read it this year and used it to work on my latest manuscript. The following is why I recommend this resource.
Most books about story structure tend to present a very structured approach. Yes, that is an intentional pun. But what do I mean? Most writers fall into one of three categories: 1) Plotter; 2) Pantser (Discovery); 3) Inbetweener.
If you don’t know these categories, here’s a quick definition of each:
- Plotter: They need to plan out their entire story in detail. Then they write it, sticking closely to their plan. They seldom deviate from the plan. Apparently, J.K. Rowling and John Grisham fall into this category.
- Pantser or more modern term Discovery Writer: This writer essentially sits down and writes. They can’t plan the story or plot it out; to do so would hinder their writing. Well-known authors who fall into this category are Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, and Margaret Atwood.
- Inbetweener: This writer falls between a plotter and a discovery writer. They need a loose plan with plenty of wiggle room for the plot to change as they write. There are certainly a lot of authors who fall into this category, and I’m one of them.
Okay, back to Save the Cat. The one thing that is probably very appealing about this approach is it can be used by all three writers. Most structures (and I’ve made a study of each one I’ve come across) usually favor Plotters. Story structure is essential. And these methods are amazing because they create a very clear guide for the story. However, for a Discovery Writer or an Inbetweener, too much of the story is planned out. And this creates a block.
Save the Cat provided me with a general idea of what happens in certain parts of a story’s structure. It gives the writer an idea of what should happen during certain points of the story. Save the Cat calls these ‘story beats’ and they all overlap. So when I sat down to envision my story, I was able to write down a lot of ideas. These were then used as I created scenes and chapters. The result, from my perspective, is a story that flows so smoothly. What I liked about this is that the structure remained fluid, which provided the room to constantly make adjustments as needed.
There are two reasons embedded in the above to recommend Save the Cat. First, it works for all styles of writers. Second, the overlapping story beats. Perhaps the one thing I liked the most about Save the Cat is how the structure brought in everything.
Each story beat focused on the action (what happens in each scene). Most structures present this idea. Save the Cat, however, also incorporated the character arc’s development. This makes it easier to write in scenes and moments where the main character is growing and being shaped by their changing world. Save the Cat also includes a clearer perspective on how the A and B stories intersect and merge. Every story has the main character’s (MC) established world (A story) that gets disrupted. The B story is the what and the who involved in helping the MC change or achieve their goal. With Save the Cat, I found it very easy to weave the two back and forth.
Save the Cat essentially made writing a novel a bit easier. But do I think it outshines all other books and resources on story structure? Nope. They’re useful, and I’ll still use what works for me. But if you’re looking for an excellent resource on writing, I definitely recommend reading Save the Cat.
K. M. Wray 