Save The Cat! Story Structure

This week is the last and most detailed story structure method in our series. Save The Cat! became popular for screenwriting, but Jessica Brody wrote a book that translated it for novels. I’ve read both the screenwriting and the novel version, and Jessica’s book is by far more helpful for writing books. If you want to really understand story structure, I highly recommend Save the Cat! Writes a Novel.

Save the Cat!

Before we break down this method, I wanted to explain the name…because it’s odd. “Save the Cat” is a phrase used by the screenwriter and original creator of this story structure, Blake Snyder. It references a way to make an unlikeable character more likable. If you must have a protagonist with many flaws at the beginning, it’s best to have that character do something commendable. For example, he can save a cat. It’s the same concept behind James Scott Bell’s Pet the Dog moment. Blake just called it Save the Cat, and it stuck as the story structure’s title. Now that I’ve demystified that, let’s look at the steps in this method.

1. Opening Image (0%-1%)

Act I starts with this first scene the reader will experience in the story. It is a single-scene beat, meaning it is only one scene. You can’t make it more or several chapters. It’s the first impression the reader will have of the book, and it shows how the protagonist’s life is before the story starts. The scene should be active and not passive. Don’t open with exposition or description or an internal monologue. Have an action scene that shows what the character is like before the story.

2. Theme Stated (5%)

The theme should be stated in a single-scene beat during the first 5% of the story. Usually, a supporting character will state it, and the protagonist will deny it. The theme will be whatever life lesson the protagonist needs to learn before the end of the book.

3. Setup (1%-10%)

This section is exactly what it says: setup. Introduce the characters, state the goal, and get a good description of what the protagonist’s life is like in his normal world. You also need to show the protagonist’s flaws and his reluctance to change. This will be a multi-scene beat where it takes multiple scenes or chapters to finish.

4. Catalyst (10%)

As the inciting incident, this action single-scene beat is what shakes up the protagonist’s world. It’s an event that sets the whole story into motion, and the protagonist won’t be able to go back to his normal life after it.

5. Debate (10%-20%)

The Debate is a multi-scene beat when the protagonist struggles with how to react to the catalyst. Will he accept the new life or try to stick with his normal? Don’t be afraid to show the character’s reluctance to move forward and change.

6. Break Into 2 (20%)

This is when Act II starts. The protagonist will decide to accept his new path. This choice will move the character from his normal world to an opposite world where he has much to learn. This is a single-scene beat where they do something new and try (even if it’s the wrong way) to reach the goal.

7. B Story (22%)

Now that the protagonist is in a new world and trying new things, he will meet new people. The B Story refers to the secondary internal plot line every character has in a story. The protagonist will hopefully end the story changed in some way, and this new world is what will help him change. Early in Act II, there should be a single-scene beat where a B Story character is introduced, and this person will stick around and help the protagonist change by the end.

8. Fun And Games (20%-50%)

This is the biggest section of the book, and it’s a multi-scene beat where you will fulfill your story premise. It’s typically the part of the story that hooked the readers to pick up the book. A heist, spy mission, or quirky love story are some examples. The protagonist is in this situation, and there are many ups and downs to the journey. Struggles and successes. Usually, the protagonist is either loving or hating this new world experience. He either fits in great or he’s floundering. Whichever he does now, the opposite will come true later.

9. Midpoint (50%)

This single-scene beat is a big event that changes things for the protagonist yet again. If he was doing well in the new life, he will have a false victory. He will seem to triumph only to realize that he didn’t really want that goal. If the protagonist was failing in the new world, then the Midpoint will be a false defeat. He will seem to lose and feel hopeless in his journey, but he will soon learn he still has a chance.

10. Bad Guys Close In (50%-75%)

If the protagonist had a false victory, life will get harder for him now. He will grow unhappier and worse as the story progresses. If the protagonist had a false defeat at the Midpoint, then his life will get easier. He will improve and conquer more than he did before the Midpoint. Regardless of the arc type though, the bad guys will get increasingly more powerful, and the character’s flaws will still mess him up. This multi-scene beat is the second longest section of the story.

11. All Is Lost (75%)

This single-scene beat is when something happens to send the protagonist to rock bottom. It’s an action scene that combines the external enemies and the internal enemies (character flaws) in an attack on the protagonist. Often, someone dies or comes close to death. It needs to be a huge wakeup call that rattles the protagonist.

12. Dark Night Of The Soul (75%-80%)

As a multi-scene beat, this section will show the protagonist’s reaction to what’s happened to him. He will think he’s worse off than when he started, and he will struggle with all he’s lost to get to this point. The idea is to bring him to his lowest before he wins.

13. Break Into 3 (80%)

This is a single-scene beat that starts Act III. Break into 3 is the light bulb moment when the protagonist realizes what he is missing to reach his goal. Not only that, but he will learn the lesson of the story and fix his own flaws. By doing this, he will change enough to survive and achieve his goal.

14. Finale (80%-99%)

The Finale is a multi-scene beat that is the climax. The protagonist proves he’s learned the theme’s lesson and fixes himself. He overcomes the final obstacles, achieves his goal, and restores all his relationships. Not only did he win, but the world is a better place now.

Jessica Brody divides this section into five parts. First, the protagonist gathers his team and supplies to carry out his plan. Second, they will execute their plan even against great odds, and they will seem like they are winning. Third, the protagonist will run into a twist or surprise in the middle of his plan that will make it not succeed. Fourth, the protagonist will need to dig down deep and embrace the theme or lesson learned. Fifth, he will devise and carry out a new plan that will succeed. 

15. Final Image (99%-100%)

This single-scene beat is a mirror beat to the Opening Image. It will be the exact opposite of the first scene to show the character’s growth. The scene should show the protagonist’s life after the story so the reader knows how the book’s theme affected the character even into the future.

The Chronicles Of Narnia Example

Now let’s apply the Save the Cat! story structure to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I’m using the movie plot line since I assume more people have seen it than read the book. As stated the last few weeks, there are spoilers.

1. Opening Image—The land is in the middle of a war, and the four siblings can’t seem to get along.
2. Theme Stated—Peter asks Edmund why he is so selfish in the bomb shelter, and the siblings complain about having to leave home due to the war.
3. Setup—We meet the siblings, see their rocky relationships, and explore the new country house setting.
4. Catalyst—Lucy finds Narnia.
5. Debate—Her siblings won’t listen to Lucy about Narnia.
6. Break Into 2—The four siblings hide in the wardrobe and enter Narnia, and they decide to stay and explore.
7. B Story—The Narnians are the supporting characters, but we specifically meet the beavers here who teach the children about Narnia and escort them to Aslan.
8. Fun And Games—This is all the exploration of Narnia. It’s the cool creatures, magic, and adventures they have along the journey. I’d argue that the arc is a negative one since they only run into one hardship after another and can’t seem to rescue their brother from the White Witch.
9. Midpoint—The midpoint is when Peter, Susan, and Lucy are cornered on the thawing river. Peter can’t decide if he is going to surrender or fight. They do barely escape from the wolves, but Lucy is lost in the river. The false failure is Peter feeling the failure of losing both of his youngest siblings, but it isn’t a true failure because Lucy is found just downstream.
10. Bad Guys Close In—The siblings have an upward climb now. They recover Edmund, Peter defeats the wolf, and they train for battle amongst their new friends. However, the White Witch is coming with her army, building story tension.
11. All Is Lost—Aslan is killed, taking with him Narnia’s best chance at winning the war.
12. Dark Night Of The Soul—The brothers rally and decide to fight, but the White Witch’s army is bigger than theirs. The sisters mourn Aslan.
13. Break Into 3—The sisters see Aslan come back to life and realize they have not lost their chance to win.
14. Finale—The brothers lay out their battle plans and go to war. The sisters ride with Aslan to unfreeze their friends and gain reinforcements for their army. The brother’s plan to battle is going well until they are overwhelmed. Peter orders a retreat, but Edmund stays with him. They fight the White Witch until Aslan arrives to help them win the war.
15. Final Image—Narnia is at peace, and the siblings are laughing and getting along.

Final Thoughts

There is so much more to Save the Cat! story structure. If this method resonated with you over the Hero’s Journey or Super Structure, go pick up Jessica Brody’s book and read it. I only gave a brief summary, but she includes tons of details, examples, and even some pitfalls to avoid in novels. Hopefully after the last several weeks, I have presented at least one story structure that fits your writing style. Depending on the story I’m writing, I pick different methods. You don’t have to stick with one for your entire writing career. I even sometimes mix them if I find there are two that work well but with different elements of my writing process. Like I’ve said before, there is no wrong story structure. Find something that works for you, and let it improve your story.

Thanks for reading!

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