Name: Save the Cat
ISBN: 9781615931712

Blake Snyder

This ultimate insider's guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a show biz veteran who's proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat!

The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

Save the Cat

Save the Cat!

Very practical book that stays entertaining and doesn’t overstay its welcome 

Truman M Halladay

Becky A

I'm not a screenplay writer, but this was fascinating and has basically changed how I look at media. I find myself nodding along, recognizing the beats described in the book in almost everything I read or watch.

Cams Campbell

Listened on Audible at 2x and enjoyed it so well that I'm going to read the Kindle version so that I can take notes and build out my story-telling method.

Robin Sturm

I kind of despised this book and the author. I don't think it helped that I was listening to an audiobook, which emphasized the snarkiness in the writing. The author seems to have fundamentally misunderstood a handful of movies in his desire to assign them into invented genres and complain about choices that he doesn't agree with. 

I found most of the advice fairly unusable. He emphasizes coming up with catchy premises and dream-casting the most popular stars over worthwhile story fundamentals. The priority he recommends is making money first and foremost, which isn't a consideration of mine, I'm just writing as a hobby. 

The book isn't all bad. The advice on how to plan, structure, and write out scenes can be useful when you get stuck and want to refer back to the formula.

Maria

loved this book!

it's written the way i like books to be written - very structured. your journey as a screenwriter begins with the idea and then the author takes you thru the whole process, explaining every step and its meaning

i read this book looking for storytelling tips, and i must say - it delivered. it really does teach you how to write a story which is not too long and not too short, which is engaging with twists, with characters to love and rewarding ending. of course, some of the advice is suitable only for sceenwriting (meaning not for prose or not for real life stories), but the majority of tips suits for everything

i am kind of sorry i am not a screenwriter because i really wanted to try all this. well, maybe someday :) 

i'd anyway watch couple of my favorite movies to check if they comply with the structure Blake Snyder suggests, and how their writers implemented this or that idea

Simon Elliott Stegall

Insightful to a point, but also simplistic, narrow, and unoriginal. Leaves an unpleasant aftertaste of charlatanism. If you're interested in screenplay writing, skip junk food like this and read Truby's "Anatomy of Story" instead.

Kerry Gibbons

Some good insights and trickster preparing your script, some general guidelines to follow... But everyone should realize there's no one-size-fits-all model doe ANYTHING creative. Yes, you're more likely to have commercial success if there's an act break on page 25, but beyond anything else, Mr Snyder acts as though drama was invented with the talkies! He doesn't talk about a five-act structure, symphonic structure, stage direction, etc. 

It's no wonder I see so many formulaic movies.

That said, I'll be using this as a loose guideline moving forward.

Janne Janssens

I must read for any aspiring writer! This books focuses on screenplay but most tips are applicable to novel writing as well.

Review to come!

Save the Cat The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

Reviews