Save the Cat! Writes a Novel

by Jessica Brody

Plot, structure, and character transformation. Or what I like to call the “Holy Trinity of Story.”

A problem (or flaw that needs fixing) A want (or goal that the hero is pursuing) A need (or life lesson to be learned)

And that brings us to a great tip for writing flawed heroes: Don’t let the problem stay contained to just one area of your hero’s life. Let the problem(s) manifest and spread and infect! Your hero’s problem(s) should be affecting their entire world: their work, their home life, and their relationships.

The most effective character goals or wants are concrete and tangible.

We call that real problem the shard of glass. It’s a psychological wound that has been festering beneath the surface of your hero for a long time. The skin has grown over it, leaving behind an unsightly scar that causes your hero to act the way they act and make the mistakes that they do (flaws!). You, as the author and creator of this world, have to decide how that shard of glass got there. Why is your hero so flawed? What happened to them to make them the way they are?

And most important, what will really fix your hero’s life? What does your hero actually need?

Your hero’s want or goal is an integral part of what’s called the A Story. The A Story is the external story. It’s the stuff that happens on the surface. Car chases; wars; fights in the school hallway; new jobs; casting magic spells; taking on an evil, dystopian government; poisoning the king. Essentially, it’s the exciting stuff. The “cool” stuff. Or what’s also referred to as the premise.

On the other hand, the B Story is the internal story. It’s the story that’s intricately linked to what your hero needs to learn in order to change their life, complete their transformation, and enter the hall of fame of story-worthiness. The B Story/internal story/need is what your novel is really about.

The life lesson is the inner journey that your hero didn’t even know they were on, that will eventually lead them to the answer they never expected.

If you’re writing a story with multiple main characters and/or multiple points of view and you’re still having problems figuring out who the hero is, or whose arc is the biggest, try asking yourself, Which of my main characters is most like my reader?

This is called the stasis = death moment. It’s the moment that comes somewhere in the Setup beat that shows the reader that change is imperative; otherwise, things are going south. Fast.

When I read a manuscript (or even a published novel), I can tell instantly whether the author understands the function and purpose of the Midpoint. If it feels unfocused and clunky, then they’ve missed a golden opportunity.

Learn the recipes, study the genres, choose the right basic dish, and then give us your own twist on it. After all, you can’t bend the rules until you know what the rules are. You need to learn how story works before you can start getting all fancy with it.

“Write about what disturbs you, particularly if it bothers no one else”

Recent studies have shown that reading fiction can make you more empathetic. It gives you X-ray vision into other people’s thoughts, feelings, and struggles. It allows you to peek in the windows of other people’s lives and see why they are the way they are. A gift we’re rarely given in real life.

“Don’t be afraid to write crap. Crap makes great fertilizer.”