Save the Cat!® Beat Sheet Workbook Reader Review & Giveaway

We are so excited to have the Save the Cat!® team back with us again to promote another amazing book. This time we're introducing Save the Cat!® Beat Sheet Workbook by Jamie Nash, based on the books by Blake Snyder. Before we share with you what WOW! readers think, here's a bit more about the book:

Break out your favorite pencil and roll up your sleeves! The Save the Cat! Beat Sheet Workbook provides key writing prompts and asks all the important questions—but you bring the story, filling out the pages that walk you step-by-step through the Save the Cat! process.

The official hands-on companion to the best-selling Save the Cat! and Save the Cat! Writes for TV, this interactive workbook helps you dig deep into every aspect of your story. It’s inspiring, easy to manage, and your guide to:

• Idea and Concept Brainstorming – Unlock your idea engine with a series of exercises and prompts geared to help you find your best story idea.

• Meaningful Themes – Explore yourself, matching your story to something that speaks to your soul and represents your tastes and personality.

• Story Genre Identification – Nail down that pesky question of “What is your story?” with the Save the Cat! Story Genres.

• Create Fully Developed Characters – Give life to main characters who have wants, needs, and flaws. Surround them with a supporting cast that provides opportunities for conflict and thematic tension.

• The Save the Cat! Beat Sheet – Discover the tools and detailed exercises to give your story the structure to succeed.

Publisher: Save the Cat! Press
ISBN-10: 0984157638

ISBN-13: 9780984157631

Print length: 200 Pages

Be sure to purchase your copy of this book on the Amazon.com, Target, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org.

Now here's what WOW! readers had to say:

"Having written two novel drafts using the Save the Cat beat sheet methods, I was excited to get my hands on this workbook. The first couple of pages had me scribbling away and taking a good hard look at my own deepest darkest fears and things that make me rage. This was perfect because my current WIP is a “Whydunit” with a protagonist who is a lot like me. (Shocker!)

"The parts that suggested we doodle made me a little hesitant because I am not a doodler by nature, but I worked through them anyway and had fun using the collaging method and pasting in pictures I found from other places.

"I knew starting out my protagonist/detective had some missing pieces to her story (a female sidekick and confidant) and I wanted to dig deeper into the family dynamics that have made her the person she is today. All the exercises within the “Develop Your Characters” section helped me fill in the holes. I also began working on another “Whydunit” novel idea I have because I was so inspired. 

"If you are suffering from the dreaded writer’s block, or like me, need help fleshing out first draft, I highly recommend the Save the Cat Beat Sheet Workbook by Jamie Nash. Your hand will be cramping up (in a good way!) by the time you reach the last page."

 

— Renee Roberson

"I’m a big fan of the Save the Cat books, so I was excited to see there was a new workbook coming out that was based on those books. That being said, I was also cautiously optimistic that, perhaps, the workbook would be like others I’ve tried in the past (i.e., rote, redundant, uninspiring, etc.).

"I’m happy to report that I was genuinely inspired just from reading through the workbook. It really works to loosen you up and forces you to use your imagination without worrying about it being a 'good' or well-thought-out idea. After setting free your imagination, the book THEN helps you to hone in on themes and plot points and genres.

"It contains wonderful ideas on how to make your story and your characters more three-dimensional. Then, finally, it has you brainstorm the fifteen typical beats involved in writing a good story.

"This workbook is useful for a variety of different writing levels and can help you regardless of whether you have the mere spark of a story idea or are already halfway through writing your project.

"I’m really excited to delve into the workbook in greater detail. For now, I already have a handful of exciting new ideas for my novel!"

 

— Katherine Itacy

"If you need a burst of inspiration to be creative, this is a wonderful book to pick up. I love all the ways it helps you dig into new ideas, from dissecting your doodles to switching up movie plots. It also helps you understand the type of story you are telling and the way you are going to tell it. It's a hands-on guide that is perfect for the new and experienced writer. I definitely recommend it!"

 

— Nicole Pyles

"Admittedly, I'm a Save the Cat fan. So I was wondering what this workbook would give me. I have a specific story I want to rework and I approached the workbook with that in mind. But I'll be the first to admit that I hate having to decide where my story fits into the various types. Is there a monster? Or a mystery? Or is it a buddy story?! Help!

"I love that the workbook takes you through a series of questions. Does your story have X? If you said, YES, go here. Really? That's what it is? I don't know for a fact that I'm going to ultimately agree but it definitely made me reconsider some of my assumptions.

"And I have to say that I really loved the get to know yourself questions and the whole section on how to morph an idea into something new. If you don't have an idea you want to run with, these exercises will help.

"I know some people are loathe to write in a book because then they can't use it again. So don't. Write on a post-it stuck on the page! Then when you are done you can pull them out and start again with your next idea.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Whydunit to solve."

 

— Sue Bradford Edwards

"This workbook covers all the basics screenwriters need in order to plan their next solid story. The exercises included are both thoughtful and fun. They really encourage you to embrace your full creative power. Even though it's geared toward screenwriters, novelists who enjoy the STC method will get just as much out of this workbook."

 

— Jessica Leibe

"The Save the Cat Beat Sheet Workbook is my new favorite tool for brainstorming and story generation! I’ve read both Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat and Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat Writes a Novel, and this workbook is the perfect companion. Where the books assume the writer has an idea already, this interactive workbook starts from scratch by examining your emotions, what gets your heart pounding, and more. It’s perfect for those new to the STC method. I’d suggest working through the idea generation exercises in this workbook first, before reading the books, because it encourages play and helps your imagination run wild.

 

"My favorite exercise was gluing a photo to the page and creating plots in different movie genres like comedy, science fiction, inspirational, and horror. I wrote several variations of my initial story idea and love them all! The Choose Your Own Adventure section was fun, and it is no surprise to me, since I mostly write creative nonfiction and memoir, that I’m an Inside Out writer.

 

"Even though I’ve completed two book-length beat sheets in the past, this workbook was still full of revelations. Jamie Nash’s Beat Sheet Workbook is a godsend for writers like me who’ve fallen into a rut of taking their writing too seriously. This was the book I needed to help me break through the blocks that have been holding me back and blast back into my creative side."

 

— Angela Mackintosh

"If you've ever struggled with starting a story or have started a story and don't know where to go next or how to get there, fear not! This clever and quirky workbook is for you!

"You can also kiss writer's block goodbye with the variety of clever exercises and engaging activities offered to get those creative juices flowing. Plus, Save the Cat's '15 beats' that are at the heart of every great story are also included. Don't worry. They're all spelled out in logical progression and well-defined. So are easy to follow, step-by-step instructions and encouragement for turning your creative legwork into a compelling and exciting story.

"This book will be a welcome addition to any seasoned or wannabe writer's bookshelf."

 

— Pages and Paws

"I have been using this book to help with my writing practice. Each day I work the exercises on one or more pages, and then I sit to work on my novel. It's been a great way to warm up before jumping in to whatever chapter I'm working on.

"Because the exercises are short, it's easy to fit them in to whatever time you have. And I find they get me thinking about things in a way I wouldn't otherwise. For instance, one exercise asked me to write down things that get me emotional, particularly things that make me cry. I was tempted to flip past this page because I don't typically think of emotional things before writing. But I stuck with it, and came up with a list of things that surprised me. And it helped when I was writing an emotional scene a few days later.

"I also like that it's easy to jump around with the exercises so I don't have to go page by page if something on one particular day is not calling out to me. I should also mention that I haven't read the books this workbook is based on, but I don't think it's necessary for anyone to get a lot out of this. So if you're looking for a way to whet your creative appetite, I highly recommend this Save The Cat! workbook."

 

— Cindy Hudson

"I loved this book! You know when you lose something, and you search for hours for it but when you stop searching for the lost thing, is time that you find it? When my writing came to a screeching halt, I loved picking up this book because it had my mind thinking differently than I would normally. It was fun to let go and think of new creative ways to bring forth new juicy ideas.

"I was in a coworking session and my accountability partner said he was going to work on his writing. He held up Save the Cat!® Beat Sheet Workbook: How Writers Turn Ideas Into Stories and mentioned using this book if he got stuck. I held up mine as well... we are now instant 'internet cousins.' What was the likely hood of that happening? I say this to support my point of its use to help push you through the dull and stagnant moments when it comes to writing. If you like workbooks, writing out your ideas, and prefer to process information in the question-and-answer format, then do not hesitate to put this book in your cart and checkout."

 

— Angela Clay

 

 

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY ***** 

 

Enter to win a copy of Save the Cat! Beat Sheet Workbook by Jamie Nash. Fill out the Rafflecopter form below by February 2 at 11:59 pm CT for a chance to win! We will choose one winner randomly the next day and follow up via email. Good luck! 

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