Save The Cat Writes A Novel
"Chapter 1: Why Do We Care?"
Welcome to my very first post regarding Save The Cat Writes A Novel. This is an annotated guide to the writing craft book, which can be found here.
If you have not read my intro post, you can check that out here.
I'll be giving cliff notes and commentary on all the chapters of the book. I won't be listing the examples of the books she uses to show these methods. Be sure to grab a copy to see for yourself. All my comments will be highlighted.
So let's go!
Brody starts off by establishing hero is what she will be calling the main character of a story. I really don't want to confuse you. So I will be opting out of doing that!
Brody talks about how the relationship between character and plot is an important one.
But how do you create one?
You give them:
A PROBLEM (or flaw that needs fixing)
A WANT (or goal that the hero is pursuing)
A NEED (or life lesson that needs to be learned)
This method is probably one of my favorite things Brody points out and is very similar to what Snyder references in the original Save the Cat.
A "want" could also be popularly referenced as the "the lie you tell yourself." I know a lot of writers understand this concept from this name.
Perfect characters are boring characters. So in order to create a believable, relatable, and interesting characters, they must have flaws.
And those problems shouldn't stay contained to just one area of your main character's life. They should affect their entire world: their work, life, and relationships.
If you're having a hard time creating flawed characters, I love going into psychology resources. Characters are PEOPLE. (Even if they're Fae, Demons, Angels, Werewolves, etc.) One book I'd recommend is probably the Emotional Thesaurus series. They have tons of different books to help with various types of issues. The Conflict Thesaurus talks about creating conflict in scenes and your character's fatal flaw. What I love most about this book is that it breaks down the consequences of a traumatic event. So if you're struggling to create balanced character traits, you can search and see which ones apply. The Emotional Wound Thesaurus specifically focuses on psychological traumas, if that's more your speed. Unsure which one to pick up? Get the sample! I personally have a copy of a lot of them. They have been a nonstop resource for me, and I'll do a post on them soon enough.
Brody then goes on to ask important questions! Each answer leads into the next question. I'll give a basic example. It'll be in my highlight commentary.
What kind of problem(s) is your character facing? X is struggling to pay rent. (You'd generally create a larger list that focuses on many aspects of your character's life.)
Brody mentions how your character has to want something so badly and be proactively trying to get it. This is the fastest way to get your reader to root for your character and latch onto your story, according to Brody. What does my character want in life? X wants to be able to support themselves and receive a stable income without having to worry about their family.
Being "happy" isn't a sufficient answer to this question. You need a concrete and tangible thing readers can track. It has to be something the character thinks will make them happy.
What does your character think will fix those problems or better their life? A lump sum of money or a unique opportunity.
Why haven't they done it yet? X has to take care of their siblings and mother. The burden of taking care of various people has made excess income impossible. However, they cannot ask for help.
This has to be something hard. It cannot be easy. Your character has to work for it.
What is standing in their way? X's father has accumulated a bit of debt to a card shark after losing their job some months ago. And because of it, their family is in danger. It requires X to pursue unorthodox ways of receiving money.
Brody then takes a little break from questions to address two important points about wants (goals).
They can change.
Not all characters get what they want.
Characters are often wrong about what will inevitably lead to their happiness.
Quick fixes in fiction never last long. And she goes on to compare writing your characters to playing psychologist. You have to diagnose what your character's real problem is.
Brody refers to this real problem as the shard of glass. A psychological wound that's been festering beneath the surface of your character for a long time.
What does your character actually need? X needs to realize alone they cannot take on the burden of their entire family. X needs to ask for help or remove themselves from the situation.
Brody goes on to explain this is the BIGGEST of the three core questions to ask yourself. This is what great stories are made of. Then poses more questions.
What is the point of the story?
What does the character really get out of it?
Why this character for this story?
Your character's goal or want is your A story, the external story. This is the cool stuff, according to Brody. It's also known as the premise.
Your B story is your internal story. It's what your character needs to learn in order to change their life. This story is what your novel is really about. She goes on to give various examples using popular books.
I know this can be super confusing for A and B plot if you're used to a lot of other writing craft resources. So I would personally remember this as your internal and external plot. Because generally speaking, your B plot/subplot, according to Snyder, the original writer of Save The Cat, is most popularly a romance subplot. Brody isn't referencing your subplot. So don't get confused there!
The life lesson is the inner journey your character didn't know they were on. It eventually leads them to the answer they never expected.
The life lesson your character encounters should be something universal and relatable.
She lists ten.
FORGIVENESS: of self or others
LOVE: includes self-love, family love, romantic love
ACCEPTANCE: of self, of circumstances, of reality
FAITH: in oneself, in others, in the world, in God
FEAR: overcoming it, conquering it, finding courage
TRUST: in oneself, in others, in the unknown
SURVIVAL: including the will to love
SELFLESSNESS: including sacrifice, altruism, heroism, and overcoming greed
RESPONSIBILITY: including duty, standing up for a cause, accepting one's destiny
REDEMPTION: including atonement, accepting blame, romance, and salvation
Brody even addresses authors who don't want to involve a life lesson. Even the best action stories, thrillers, and romances have a spiritual lesson.
Writing a story about a character who comes out of it a different person than who they started as is the "secret sauce" of best-selling novels, according to Brody.
Who is your main character?
Brody goes on to say that she believes every hero has one true plot and every plot has their one true hero.
She gives an anecdote regarding one author who attended her workshop. It eventually leads her to make the point that a character chosen to be the main character in a story is based on who has the most changing to do, who is the most relatable, and whose arc is the biggest.
If a story has more than one main character, the character who appears first is your hero. And if you're struggling to identify your "main" character, ask which character is the most like my reader.
Andddddddd that concludes Chapter 1! Thanks for reading. Unsure what some of these terms are or what to do for your own story? You can watch my video breakdowns on Tiktok or hire me as your book editor.
My Plot Package is one of my most popular packages because it allows writers to ask questions and work through their story on a more intimate level. We have video calls throughout your work to discuss story structure and much more! Available at any stage of your writing process. Email faemance@gmail.com for a quote!
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