Save the Cat!

by Blake Snyder

Recommended in 7 interviews and reading lists

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Who recommends it

1. The Best Books on ScreenwritingReading list

   “Save the Cat” is a bestselling book that has been used by screenwriters for over 15 years. Written by Blake Snyder, it offers a humorous and candid look at the film industry and provides valuable advice for making scripts more marketable and satisfying. The book covers a range of topics, including the four elements…

2. Mike ChenInterview

   It’s hard for me to say given that I’ve read a lot during those years. I’d say that at either age, Save the Cat by Blake Snyder would have been helpful in understanding what 3-act structure was. And more importantly, learning how to infuse character and emotion into it.

3. Beth RevisInterview

   I wrote Paper Hearts, Volume 1: Some Writing Advice based entirely on the idea of the book I would have wanted to have when I was starting out—I really tried to design it to be user-friendly and focus on craft. I’d also give Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder as a reminder of the elements of plot, and I’d point to Susan…

4. Elizabeth EulbergInterview

   Just reading anything is beneficial. I haven’t read a lot of “craft” books, but did enjoy Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder. It’s a book for screenwriters, but it talks about the “beats” of a story and it made me look at movies (and books) in a different way.

5. Maria ShehataInterview

   The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. About procrastination, why we do it, and how to overcome it. A really quick, helpful read. And Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder. It’s paint by numbers for screenwriting.

6. Helen HardtInterview

   A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Dutch by Madhuri Pavamani.

7. Charlie HolmbergInterview

   Books in your genre. I read a lot of fantasy because that’s what I write. It’s important to know what’s being published, what works, and what doesn’t. I also highly recommend How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card, Save The Cat! by Blake Snyder, and The Writer’s Portable Mentor by Priscilla Long.

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