SAVE THE CAT WRITES A NOVEL BY JESSICA BRODY REVIEW

The first novel-writing guide from the best-selling Save the Cat! story-structure series, which reveals the 15 essential plot points needed to make any novel a success. 

Novelist Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of novel writing. Revealing the 15 "beats" (plot points) that comprise a successful story--from the opening image to the finale--this book lays out the Ten Story Genres (Monster in the House; Whydunit; Dude with a Problem) alongside quirky, original insights (Save the Cat; Shard of Glass) to help novelists craft a plot that will captivate--and a novel that will sell.

I love writing. I can churn out a first draft in no time. If books didn't need structure or redrafts or edits, I'd be amazing... but alas, they do and those are things I just don't know how to do. So whenever I finished a draft, I just sort of gave up. I didn't know where to start with outlines or structure and what not. Enter, Save the Cat. 

I was hesitant when I heard of this book. Surely writing is such a unique process to each writer that nothing could "teach" me how to do it. Wrong. Because this book isn't telling you how to write, it tells you what your story needs to work. It tells you certain things that need to happen to keep readers invested and to make the plot flow. It just makes sense.

This book has SAVED ME. I feel so much more clued up and I know I can turn to this book when I get stuck. I don't have to worry about being in it alone because this book will guide me. I had the littlest snippet of an idea and just reading through this book I've found it starting to form more. The Beat Sheets put ideas into my head for things that could happen or directions the story could - or should - go.
NaNo starts in a week so I will be spending that time going over the sections relevant to my novel (I thought it was a Whydunnit but now I think it's more Rite of Passage/Golden Fleece!) and hopefully have a good Before Beat Sheet ready to go!

A must read for writers!!