Save the Cat! Writes a Novel

by Jessica Brody

  And remember: the chain of awesome starts with YOU.

  So, let’s dive in, shall we?

  The Logline

  The logline is another handy tool that we novelists are borrowing from our screenwriting cousins. It’s usually used for internal purposes to sell your book to agents, publishers, and movie producers, but it can also be a great tool for quickly selling directly to readers.

  By definition, a logline is a one-sentence description of your story.

  Yup, just one.

  “Lunacy!” you might be saying right now. “It can’t be done!”

  Well, allow me to prove it to you.

  Can you guess what novel this is?

  On the verge of losing her home, an out-of-work alcoholic, who frequently blacks out, becomes entangled in a missing persons investigation; but when the man she’s convinced is guilty is released, she must confront her inner demons once and for all before the key suspect turns his sights on her.

  What’s this novel?

  Answer: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins!

  What about this one?

  On the verge of melancholy due to crippling loneliness, a girl with a rare disease that prohibits her from ever going outside starts a relationship with the new boy next door; but when she realizes she’s falling in love with him, she must decide whether to risk everything before her disease tears them apart forever.

  Recognize this recent young adult best seller?

  It’s Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.

  Did you notice these two loglines were about very different stories but shared a very similar structure? Good for you! You’re a pattern-seeking genius now!

  They did, indeed, have the same structure because I wrote them with the same awesome Save the Cat! logline template. And here it is!

  THE SAVE THE CAT! LOGLINE TEMPLATE

  On the verge of a stasis = death moment, a flawed hero Breaks Into 2; but when the Midpoint happens, they must learn the Theme Stated before the All Is Lost.

  Ta-da! A logline that fits any story of any genre.

  Why does this logline work? Because it creates urgency, delivers on a hook, and shows us why this protagonist is essential to this story and vice versa (the marriage of hero and plot!).

  We use the phrase “on the verge of” (or an opening with similar urgency) and follow it up with a stasis = death moment to prove right off the bat that this story is necessary. This hero is doomed without it! We include the Break Into 2 (or at least a glimpse of what the Act 2 world will be) to prove that the plot moves. It doesn’t just stay in the same old status quo Act 1 world forever. The mention of Act 2 also helps depict the hook (or premise) of the story. And we mention (or at least hint at) the Midpoint and the All Is Lost to show that this story has stakes—and they are going to be raised! And we reference the Theme Stated to show that the story has something to say.

  Now, of course, you might have to fiddle around with the language a bit and replace some of the phrasing to make sure the actual syntax is clear and compelling. You don’t want your logline to feel awkward just because you’re trying to cram it into a template. But the beats should fit. If you’re finding, however, that your logline falls flat, you might want to look at your Midpoint again and make sure it’s big enough. Are the stakes being raised enough to send the story into yet a new direction? Or take a look at your All Is Lost again. Is enough on the line to make the story feel urgent?

  Let’s stick a couple more stories into the template and see what we get!

  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Buddy Love)

  On the verge of depression, a teen cancer patient meets a quirky, charismatic fellow patient who brings her back to life; but when one of them relapses, she must learn the true meaning of being alive before they’re separated forever.

  The Martian by Andy Weir (Dude with a Problem)

  After getting left for dead on Mars by his crew, a cocky astronaut figures out the impossible: how to grow food on a barren planet; but when all of his crops are destroyed and his supplies are running out, he must solve the biggest problem of all: getting off the planet before time runs out.

  Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Golden Fleece)

  On the verge of succumbing to a life of poverty, a lonely gamer is the first player to find a clue to the whereabouts of the most valuable video game “Easter egg” in history and kicks off a worldwide treasure hunt; but when an evil corporation tries to kill him, he must team up with his fellow competitors to stop the corporation from finding the treasure before it’s “game over” for good.

  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling (Superhero)

  On the verge of wasting away with a horrible foster family, an awkward orphaned boy discovers he’s a wizard and sets off to attend a magic school; but when an attempt is made on his life, he must finally prove his worth before the most evil wizard of all time gets his hands on a powerful totem that could bring about the end of the magic world.

  Are you worried that this template gives too much away? Don’t be. Think about this: Did any of the loglines above make you less inclined to read the book? Probably not. They probably made you want to read the books more because they spoke to that innate story DNA that lives inside all of us. These loglines included everything that a great story needs. And your logline must too. You must prove to whoever is on the receiving end of this logline that this is a novel worth their time. This novel won’t disappoint, because it’s got all the crucial elements:

  A flawed hero (who the story is about and why they need this journey)

  A Break Into 2 (where your story is going)

  A Theme Stated (how this story is universal)

  An All Is Lost (what the major stakes are)

  But if you’re still worried about your logline giving too much away, feel free to make it a tad more vague. If your Midpoint or All Is Lost is a huge spoilery twist, then don’t spell it out; just give us a hint. But be careful not to hide too much or your pitch can sound abstract and unfocused. This is called hiding the ball, and it can often leave the reader feeling blasé about your story because they can’t quite grasp what it’s about. You’ve hidden too much!

  For example, take a look at this alternate logline for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and tell me if it’s as interesting as the one I just presented:

  On the verge of wasting away with a horrible foster family, an awkward orphaned boy discovers a life-changing secret about himself and sets off on an exciting adventure; but when things take a dangerous turn, he must step up and stop the forces of evil from destroying everything.

  Not quite as compelling, is it? Why? Because it’s too vague. I’ve hidden everything—including the hook! Which is the fact that Harry discovers he’s a wizard and attends a magic school. That’s the kind of stuff that gets readers to click “Buy.”

  So take heed. There’s a delicate balance between avoiding spoilers and giving the potential reader enough information to get ’em hooked.

  The Short Synopsis

  Now that we’ve mastered the logline, let’s take a look at the other very important pitch: the short synopsis! This is often called the jacket flap or back cover copy by publishers or sometimes just a book summary or book description. It’s typically a two- to three-paragraph summary of your novel, designed to do one thing: entice readers to read it!

  The best part about learning to write a stellar short synopsis is that there are so many to study. And they’re all so accessible. Just flip to the back cover of your favorite paperback. Or look up your favorite novel on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound.org., Goodreads.com, publishers’ websites, and anywhere the book is being pitched to readers.

  Unlike the logline, the short synopsis will be seen by everyone who comes across your book. It will be what nearly every potential reader use
s to determine whether they want to buy/read your book—and that includes agents and publishers too!

  So in other words…it better be good.

  But don’t worry! You know I’d never leave you high and dry.

  Let’s look at a few book summaries taken straight from the back covers of popular novels and see if we can identify some of the beats that publishers are using to pitch the book to readers.

  Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Superhero)

  Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. [Setup] From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move [stasis = death]. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.…

  Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness [flawed hero]. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s [Catalyst], she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle [Fun and Games] and a forbidden attraction [Midpoint]. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past [Theme Stated] in order to protect her world’s future [All Is Lost hint].

  Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (Buddy Love)

  Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village [Setup/first flawed hero]. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor [Catalyst], who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is [second flawed hero].

  Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves [Fun and Games], and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected [Midpoint]. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own [All Is Lost hint], she sets out to show him that life is still worth living [Theme Stated].

  Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (Whydunit)

  Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker [Setup/flawed hero] faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls [Catalyst]. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family’s Victorian mansion [Fun and Games], Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly [Midpoint]. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past [Theme Stated] if she wants to get the story—and survive this homecoming [All Is Lost hint].

  As you can see, there are definitely specific beats that appear again and again in these summaries, meaning you can easily write your own synopsis using beats you already have. Do you sense another template coming your way?

  Voilà!

  THE SAVE THE CAT! SHORT SYNOPSIS TEMPLATE

  PARAGRAPH 1: Setup, flawed hero, and Catalyst (2–4 sentences)

  PARAGRAPH 2: Break Into 2 and/or Fun and Games (2–4 sentences)

  PARAGRAPH 3: Theme Stated, Midpoint hint and/or All Is Lost hint, ending in a cliffhanger (1 to 3 sentences)

  Compared to loglines, there’s a little more wiggle room in the synopsis format. There’s space for more pizzazz, more style, and more tone. So feel free to mix things up and be creative. But these three paragraphs should be included. This is how you effectively pitch a book in one page. And yes, this short synopsis should not exceed the length of one page…double spaced! (You hoped I might forget about the spacing, didn’t you?)

  If you can’t effectively pitch your novel in one page, then you haven’t quite figured out what you’re trying to say about it yet. All great novels can be effectively pitched in one page.

  You’ll notice in the template provided above that I mention a Midpoint hint and an All Is Lost hint. When pitching directly to readers, you want to provide enough information to give a sense of the stakes and the looming danger, but never so much that you spoil the whole book. And every short synopsis should definitely end in a cliffhanger.

  Why?

  To leave the reader wanting more, of course! The short synopsis is not a play-by-play summary of your book. It’s another pitch. Another tease.

  In Paragraph 1, we introduce a flawed hero and their world (Setup) to give the reader the sense of who the hero is and why they are best suited for this story. We also evoke the Catalyst that will soon change that world.

  In Paragraph 2, we dive into the upside-down world of Act 2 to show the general direction of the plot and to give the reader our hook (the promise of the premise).

  And in Paragraph 3, we hint at the stakes (the urgency) and the internal journey, which, combined, make up the why of the whole novel. While at the same time we leave the reader wanting more.

  Your short synopsis is a vital, indispensable component of your novel package. Once you master it, you can use it over and over again. Basically, any time you need to pitch your novel to another human being in written form, out it comes! Like guns drawn! It’s your ultimate novel-selling weapon.

  Those of you on the self-publishing path can cut and paste this short synopsis right onto retailer sites, your website, and the back of your book.

  Those of you on the traditional publishing path can cut and paste this short synopsis right into your query letter to agents. And if it’s really good, chances are your agent will cut and paste it right into their query letter to editors. And your editor might even cut and paste it (or at least parts of it) right onto the book’s jacket flap. I mean, why reinvent the wheel? Especially when you’ve crafted such a flawless, nonsqueaky wheel.

  And for those of you currently just dabbling in the novel-writing process, unsure of what will become of it, this summary can be used anywhere you want to post information about your book or sent to anyone to whom you want to submit your book for feedback.

  The short synopsis is a test to make sure you’ve nailed your beats and that your story resonates. If, after following this template, your short synopsis isn’t quite working, it’s time to go back and look at your beats again and those handy beat checklists in chapter 2. Perhaps your Catalyst isn’t big enough to rip your hero from their Act 1 world. Perhaps your Act 2 world isn’t quite different enough from your Act 1 world. Perhaps your Midpoint or All Is Lost stakes aren’t weighty enough.

  If you fix up those beats, I promise you, your short synopsis will shine.

  Now it’s time for you to do a little research of your own. Go to your favorite bookstore or online retailer and read one synopsis after another, looking for these patterns. My guess is you’ll find they’re almost always there. Which means the publishers—who are usually the ones writing these book descriptions—are using this same template…whether they realize it or not.

  Save the Author!

  You Got Problems, I Got Solutions

  Well, folks, we’ve reached the end of the Save the Cat! novel-development process. We know what it takes to create story-worthy heroes; we know how to craft fifteen compelling story beats that will leave our reader breathless; we’ve studied the ten Save the Cat! story genres and know what specific elements need to be included in each one; and we’re well versed on how to write a compelling logline and short synopsis.

  Sooooo…

  How are you feeling?

  If your answer is A little freaked out, to be honest, don’t worry. I’ve jam-packed a whole novel-writing career’s worth of wisdom into these pages. It’s certainly understandable for you to feel a little overwhelmed. Which is why I’ve included this chapter, dedicated entirely to the most frequently asked questions and concerns that I hear from authors implementing the Save the Cat! methodology.

  So let’s get you sorted out.<
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  Help! Where Do I Start? The Foundation Beats

  In my Save the Cat! workshops, often we’d go through the fifteen beats extensively, with explanations and examples and thorough analysis, and at least one student would be staring at me, totally bewildered. When I asked, “What’s wrong? Are you still not understanding the A and B Story connection? Should we go back and tackle the Theme Stated again?” the student would continue to stare and blink, and I’d continue to guess at what might be puzzling them, until finally they would be able to put their bafflement into words and say, “Um…where do I start?”

  Aha! Excellent question!

  Reason would dictate that you start at the beginning. You tackle your Opening Image, then you move on to your Theme Stated, then your Setup, and so on. After all, that’s the order in which they appear on the beat sheet and the order in which the reader will read them in the finished novel. Sounds logical, right?

  But actually, you might be surprised to learn, it’s not how I tackle the beats.

  I’ll admit, the prospect of coming up with fifteen beats is a little bit daunting. Which is why I usually start with what I like to call the Five Foundation Beats. These beats make up the pillars upon which all the other beats stand. They are also all single-scene beats, so they’re easier to tackle up front. These are the directional beats of the story, meaning each of these beats sets a new direction for the plot. Once you establish these beats, the rest of the beats tend to fall into place a bit more naturally, based on the simple mechanics of the beat sheet.

  The Five Foundation Beats are

  Catalyst

  Break Into 2

  Midpoint

  Break Into 3

  All Is Lost

  However, before you tackle any of the beats, figure out the three components of your story-worthy hero—a problem (or what makes your hero a flawed hero), a want or goal, and a need. Only when you’ve got a good idea of who your hero is will you be able to figure out what kind of transformative journey they require.