Do you ever hear a book get recommended to people so often that you just had to pick it up? Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is that book. I've been hearing about for a long time and I finally got around to buying only to not have time to actually read it. Thank god for libraries loaning audiobooks because, although, I own a paperback copy of this book (which I recommend), I listened to the audiobook due to my time restraints.
The reason I recommend getting the paperback is not simply because of the worksheets, those are provided as a PDF with the audiobook (when purchased), but because this is something you will want to refer back to. There is a lot of information to unpack in these pages and one readthrough will not be enough for most of us to take it all in.
So, what makes this a five-star rating from me for a writing book?
Well, this book didn't just go into to detail about the structure ideas that they are setting before you, but gives you well broken-down and explained examples of what they are talking about. They are also upfront and clear about any book spoilers that are going to happen in every chapter. And, for the record, they give examples from a lot of books, some of which you may be familiar with and some you may not be. There was at least one book a chapter that I already knew the vague plot of and this was great for me to be able to understand even better what they were trying to teach me.
Another thing to hold up high is the very fact that they say these are not hard and fast rules. There is wiggle room. This, at the beginning of the book, when they were going over the 15 beats in a standard structure, made me happy because one thing I've learned well in my years as a writer and editor is that there is NO one true way. Nothing in this industry is a one-size-fits-all solution and that *is* acknowledged in this book.
Okay, getting down to the specifics: does the 15 beat structure and the 3 must-haves per (their) genre type make sense and are they usable for most writers?
I believe the answer to this question is, yes. I think there is enough inherent flexibility within this layout to make the suggestions and advice offered within this book useful for the vast majority of writers out there. Whether you plot in detail or make it up as you go (or somewhere in-between), there is a lot in here that will really help you structure your novel better. Even if you have been writing for a long time and don't really struggle with structure, you might find this book a bit eye-opening.
And as a bonus? It even helps with the difficult one-sentence pitch lines that so many still struggle with.
So who should read this book? Anyone with a vested interest in the writing industry and not just the writer themselves. I think editors and reviewers will also benefit from giving this book their time.
