Save the Cat! Writes a Novel

by Jessica Brody

EXERCISE: THE TRANSFORMATION TEST Is your hero’s transformation as big as it can be? Have you hit all the beats hard enough? Use this handy Self-Workshop Checklist to make sure your beats pass the transformation test! Opening Image ❏ Is your Opening Image one scene or one group of interconnected scenes? ❏ Is your Opening Image visual? (Are you showing, not telling?) ❏ Is one or more of your hero’s flaws evident in this scene? Theme Stated ❏ Does your theme directly relate to your hero’s need or spiritual lesson? ❏ Is your theme stated by someone (or something!) other than the hero? ❏ Can your hero easily and believably dismiss this theme? Setup ❏ Have you shown at least one thing that needs fixing in your hero’s life? ❏ Have you introduced at least one A Story character? ❏ Did you clearly establish your hero’s want or external goal somewhere in this beat? ❏ Have you shown your hero in more than one area of their life (such as home, work, and/or play)? ❏ Are your hero’s flaws evident in this beat? ❏ Have you created a sense of urgency that imminent change is vital (stasis = death)? Catalyst ❏ Does the Catalyst happen to the hero? ❏ Is it an action beat? (No revelations allowed here!) ❏ Is it impossible for the hero to go back to their normal life after this? ❏ Is the Catalyst big enough to break the status quo? Debate ❏ Can you sum up your Debate with a question? Or if it’s a preparation Debate, have you clearly defined what your hero is preparing for and why? ❏ Have you cr...