So it’s here again, the ultimate Storytelling Webinar for plotting your novel.
It seems like everywhere we look there are new webinars popping up. They’re asking for our time, our money, and our attention. So how can you tell when you’ve found a good one?
Well, this is my metric: When the value received meets or exceeds the cost you paid, then it was worth it. As writers, we’re constantly trying to develop our craft because it’s essential to our success. Understanding story structure can go a long way in helping us improve our stories.
When it comes to the Save the Cat Storytelling Webinar, the benefit far outweighed the cost for me.
I completed this Save the Cat webinar last fall. Here’s what I found.
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Background of “Save the Cat”
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Structure of the Course
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Plotter vs. Pantser
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Suggestions for the Course
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25% Off Enrollment!
So whether you’re trying to be traditionally published or self-published, you’ll find great value in this course.
Background
“Save the cat” is a writer phrase. It’s when you give an unlikeable character a redeeming quality that makes them worth rooting for. So, if your character isn’t particularly likeable, have them “save the cat” early on in the story so readers don’t completely hate her. Jessica Brody explains it further and even gives examples like Hunger Games.
The Save the Cat method started as a process for screenwriters. It was a guide writers of movies and television would use to ensure their work fit a particular cinematic structure.
When it comes to movies and television, the screenplay needs to be approved by so many people that it’s hard to imagine how they all agree. However, it would seem that they agree because of this replicable structure.
“But wait,” you say, “I write books. I don’t write movies or television shows.”
That’s why Save the Cat made a novel writing edition. It’s packed with all the knowledge you need to take tried and true story structure and masterfully apply it to the story you want to tell.
If you decide to take the course, you probably won’t need the book! However, if you’re not ready to invest in the webinar, the book might be a low-cost way to get the information you need!
Regardless of your writing style and how much planning you do, this course provides tons of value. Further down, we’ll look at different writer types (plotters vs. pantsers) and how, specifically, this course can benefit each.
If you just want a taste of what’s available through Save the Cat, check out their “Get Started” page.
Just a note, I am NOT associated with this course. I’m NOT an affiliate. I completed the course a few months ago, saw that it was launching again, and wanted to share my experiences.
Structure of the Course
Jessica Brody runs 3 separate live 3-hour webinars. They’re held on consecutive Saturdays over the course of the month.
Image courtesy of Savethecat.com
Can’t make it to the live webinars? Don’t worry, you can watch a recorded version for up to 30 days after each class. Jessica even suggests watching the webinar in its entirety twice anyway.
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First, (live if possible) to allow the ideas to simply wash over you and give your mind the space to explore them.
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Second, you should take notes and work more slowly through the content.
I took her up on this suggested structure. It worked really well. However, I didn’t actually make it to any of the live webinars. Instead, I watched the recorded versions twice.
Inside each webinar, she covers one of the acts of the 3-act structure. Throughout each webinar, Jessica Brody provides a variety of amazing examples. I’m one of those people who finds value in actually seeing the lessons put into effect. So the examples from popular books and movies really solidified the story beats in my mind.
In doing so, you’re provided the space to digest each, dissect your own work or other works, and come back the next week fresh and ready for the next lesson.
I can’t stress how beneficial I found this structure. I was able to see and understand each act of the 3-act structure as a piece of the puzzle. Then, over the course of the week, I dove into my own work as well as books and movies that were already familiar to me. It was there that the learning really solidified.
Here’s the structure of each class:
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Each 3 hour webinar is split in half.
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The first hour and a half, Jessica presents.
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Then she answers questions for the second hour and a half.
In that way, whether you can attend live or not, there’s almost equal value.
Unless you really have a burning question, most of the questions that are raised are thoughtful enough. Also, they (brilliantly) use an upvote method to raise the best questions to the top of the stack. This helps them skip over the kinds of specific questions that only help one person and instead allows for the highest quality questions to get through.
Plotter or Pantser?
There’s a question writers get all the time: Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter”?
I’ve always written somewhere between a plotter and a pantser. I liked having some idea of where I was going but with the flexibility to change or take the story in a different direction.
You know what that got me? Lots of manuscripts gathering dust in bottom drawers, figuratively speaking, of course. They’re actually just on an external hard drive gathering dust.
I felt like I was constantly editing. My manuscripts needed extensive structural work.
See, humans prefer consuming a certain story structure. There’s a story structure that has existed for centuries, largely unchanged.
The breaking of those rules is why avant garde work is…well…avant garde. People know it will manipulate their expectations.
This isn’t to say you can’t step outside the confines of a story structure. You really just need to know that you’re doing it. Know that you’re playing against people’s expectations.
In reality, Most people are some combination of both.
Plotters find themselves diverting from their plans or making new ones along the way. Pantsers have some sense of structure, character, and plot even if it’s not organized and written down.
That’s why this course is so valuable. Regardless of your writing style, you need to understand basic story structure. And for less than one hundred dollars, you won’t find a better
“I’m a Pantser!”
Great! You’ll find a ton of value in the broad discussions of beats and the examples provided.
As a “pantser” you probably have some inherent sense of story structure, which allows you to tell a coherent story without having to do too much consideration towards the flow of your story. First, let me say how jealous I am!
Second, having a name for the beats will help you build in moments naturally as you’re writing. By imagining your story on the timeline, you’ll have an easier time building and maintaining suspense, character arcs, etc
You’ll also like the examples provided because it will give you the experience to dissect other stories. With those skills, you’ll become even more efficient as a writer!
“I’m a Plotter!”
Good! The worksheets provided will help you organize and plan each beat of your story so nothing goes unplanned.
I even built out the provided materials and included some of the other early structural pieces into the provided beat sheets to help me organize my entire novel (characters, settings, etc.)
Suggestions
If you do plan on attending, I suggest making a few preparations:
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Organize your notes (use our free template above)
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Have a general knowledge of the Save the Cat structure
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Look over the free content that Save the Cat provides on the website
These 3 steps will ensure you get the most out of the course.
Enroll Now!
If you enroll before the end of March 14th got get the Early Bird special – 25% off. Click here if you’re interested. Good luck!
