If you haven’t read this book from Jessica Brody—you’re missing out. I’ve used it in my stories and I reference it to clients (all the time) to show the importance of the 3 Act Story Structure.
This outline works. Try it. Apply it.
Or…
If you get stuck, you can refer to this outline and make sure that you have the elements of this outline in your story. They don’t need to be in this order, they just need to be there.
Without further ado, here is my take on the Save the Cat! plotting outline. Grab a cup of coffee, get a sandwich, bust out some lunch, you’re going to be here a while.
Act 1
Opening Image
A single-scene beat that provides a before snapshot of your hero and his life before you get in there and shake things up. It’s only one piece of information. (A morning routine or an argument, etc.)
Theme Stated
This briefly alludes to the transformative journey your hero will take and the flaws that they’ll conquer. Subtly mention whatever life lesson your hero needs to go through and overcome.
How does he go from selfish to selfless? Delicately plant the seed in the reader’s brain. A subconscious hint to what your story is really about. This is a single-scene beat, and best stated by a secondary character—the hero will ignore them. We’re just foreshadowing the change that’s about to happen.
Setup
This is a multi-scene beat, use several scenes to set up your hero. What kind of person are they? What kind of character tics do they have? What do they want? It’s incredibly important that your hero has a goal.
The protagonist has to be actively pursuing something when the scene begins. This is the thing your hero thinks will fix their life, but it’s their want and not their need. Here you introduce everyone that exists in your hero’s Act 1 status quo world. Demonstrate your hero’s flaws in all their glory, or they won’t feel tangible or human to your reader. The hero’s life can’t be perfect.
This is the moment that shows that a change is imperative otherwise things are heading south—fast. Plant the seed in the reader’s mind that change is crucial. Staying in this status quo world for much longer isn’t an option, and something needs to happen.
Catalyst
Disrupts the status quo world with a life-changing event. This is where something bad happens. This is a single-scene beat in which something happens to the hero, and sends his life in an entirely new direction.
It’s a wake-up call and a call to action. This is something that happens that is a big deal. “Can my hero easily return to their normal life and continue doing what they were doing before this happens?” If so, it’s not big enough and try again.
Debate
This is a reaction beat where the hero of the story has a dilemma, and sits down with a huge sigh and goes, “What now?” This will usually come in the form of a question and will be something along the lines of: What should I do? Should I go? Should I stay? What happens next?
This is the time in your story where the hero is going to take a step back in their life and decide how they’re going to proceed after the catalyst has knocked them down. No one accepts change right away! They drag their feet and hem and haw. This is a multi-scene beat where your hero is resistant to accept the change that’s been thrown at them. Take them back to work, home, or play.
Show them struggling to decide in all aspects of their life. If they decide too quickly, you may lose credibility with your reader. They make a decision, and if not, they gather supplies, they train, they prep, mentally, physically, and emotionally. The question is usually: I know I’m going, but am I ready? It can be a decision or preparation.
Act 2
Break into 2
This brings the hero into the upside-down world of Act 2, where he will fix things the wrong way. You must be into Act 2 before the 25% mark of your story. It’s game on now, the challenge is afoot! This is our clear and defined break into the upside-down world of Act 2. We are not in Kansas anymore.
This is the moment where we leave the old world and the old way of thinking behind and step into a new world and a new way of thinking. This is a single-scene beat. You get one scene to break your protagonist into Act 2. The hero is taking action to solve problems set up in Act 1. They’re trying. This is a band-aid they’re slapping on to hide the wound underneath. They’re fixing things the wrong way.
B Story
This introduces the character who’ll represent the B story (the new upside-down world) and help the hero to learn it. This must happen in the first 25% of the story. This is a single-scene beat. The B story character is the helper character. This is a love interest, friend, nemesis, or mentor. They need to somewhat represent the upside-down Act 2 world, and they must, in some way, help guide the hero towards his life lesson or theme. The hero could never have met or noticed the character in Act 1.
Fun and Games
This is where you deliver on the promise of the novel, and show us how the hero is faring in the new Act 2 world. This beat will span the entire first half of Act 2 up to the 50% mark. Now you must deliver on the promise of what your story is about!
This is a multi-scene beat in which your hero shines in his new world, or he flounders in it. This will be 30% of the story.
This is the part that is like a bouncing ball—the hero is up, and then down, and up, and down. Things are going good and then bad, and so forth. The hero succeeds at something and then fails at something. You need to make a choice here; it’s either upward (general direction heading towards success) or downward (general direction heading towards failure).
Midpoint
This marks the middle of the story with either a false victory or a false defeat, while at the same time raising the stakes of the story. This is, obviously, placed in the 50% mark of the story.
This is a single-scene beat where three things must happen.
1. The hero experiences either a false defeat or a false victory.
2. The stakes of the story are raised.
3. The A and B stories intersect in some way.
This is the “shi* just got real” beat. It’s time to get serious. Use a major game-changing plot twist. We begin the shift from what the character wants to what the character needs. The A and B story characters cross paths in some way. The midpoint changes the direction of the story and makes it impossible for your protagonist to return to his previous life. Lay it on. Turn it up. Raise the stakes, and keep the hero moving forward.
Bad Guys Close in
This is where you rebound after a false defeat or fall down after a false victory. This goes in the 50%-75% mark of your story. This is the second-longest beat next to the fun and games in the story. This is a multi-scene beat that is approximately 25% of your story.
This is essentially where the bad guys regroup and come at your hero stronger, more organized and with bigger and badder weapons. If your midpoint was a false victory, then yes here is the part where it’s going to be a downward spiral to where all is lost. More bad shit happens, heap it on in droves.
If it’s a false defeat do the opposite. In both cases the internal bad guys are still hard at work, messing up success, destroying happiness, etc., until the hero learns the theme and fixes their life the right way. Those internal bad guys keep wreaking havoc and pushing your hero to the lowest of the low points.
All is Lost
Now you’re at rock-bottom for your hero, and it is at the 75% mark. No one changes completely until they hit rock bottom. We bring the hero so low he has no choice but to change. This is a single-scene beat. This is big, even bigger than the catalyst.
The hero is really worse off now than he was in the beginning of the book, all really does seem lost. Kill people! Hurt people. Do some really terrible things here! Insert the whiff of death. A lot of characters die or almost die at this point. Even if there isn’t a death here, there’s a whiff of it, a tragedy of some sort. Something must end here to signify the old way of thinking, so a new one can be born.
And this is all your hero’s fault. The hero is in some way responsible here. The hero has nothing else to do but wallow in their defeat and reflect on their choices and their life.
Dark Night of the Soul
Here your reader sees how your hero reacts to all that is lost, and how they eventually come up with a resolution. This is the end of Act 2 in the 75%-80% mark of the story. This is another debate. After hitting rock bottom, what does your hero do? They think, they ponder, they contemplate, and they wallow. This is a multi-scene beat. Use several scenes to show how the hero is dealing with this defeat.
This is the darkness before the dawn. It’s the big moment before the big breakthrough happens. This is the last moment before the real change occurs. The hero sees something in a new light, the truth they’ve failed to see finally becomes clear. Something deep down inside of your hero is working, analyzing, processing.
They’re breaking down their life and analyzing their choices. They’re thinking about everything they tried and failed to achieve. They’re slowing coming to an ultimate conclusion. What will the hero do now? Try to bring them back to where they were in Act 1, somewhere familiar and safe, but it doesn’t feel familiar and safe anymore. It doesn’t feel the same. It’s now time to make the real change.
Act 3
Break into Act 3
Bring the hero into Act 3, where things will finally be fixed the right way. This is in the 80% mark. This is the answer, the solution, the fix. This is a breakthrough. How to fix things the right way. Up until now, the hero has tried everything they could to avoid the real issues in their life. This is a single-scene beat. Show this realization and the decision that comes out of it.
Finale
Resolves all of the problems in Act 2 and proves that the hero has been transformed. This is a multi-scene beat. It includes the final build up to the climax, the climax, and the resolution. This will span almost the entire 3rd Act and 20% of the story. The hero creates a plan.
Use the five-point finale:
1. Gather the team—Get allies, mend fences, and solicit help. Your protagonist makes amends and admits that he was wrong. You can also instead gather supplies, weapons, lay out the route, etc. This is the preparation of the big exciting plan they devised.
2. Execute the plan—The team is assembled, the weapons strapped on and the route mapped, it’s go-time. The plan should seem crazy at first, but little by little it seems to be working. They’re making progress. This is where secondary characters make a sacrifice and start dying off or move aside and let the hero shine.
3. The Surprise—The naïve hero is led into a trap because he’s overconfident. This plan was never going to work, it was never going to be that easy. Place another twist and another challenge to make the hero prove his worth. He must figure out how to deal with this curve ball.
4. Dig Deep Down—Here is another debate, cause, and effect. He’s been defeated again and has nothing left, no plan, no backup, no hope and yet they still have something. This is the flaw they’ve overcome. This is the proof they’ve changed. This is something the hero would never do in the beginning of the book. Your hero takes that final leap of faith here.
5. Execution of the new Plan—Your hero puts his bold innovative new plan into action, and of course it works. Take your hero to hell and back and make him work for his victory.
Final Image
Provide an after snapshot of your hero and how much his life has changed. This is a single-scene beat showing us what your hero looks like after this epic transformative journey is complete.
Summary
Writing a novel is like baking a cake, there are multiple phases to creating it, and you need the right ingredients. It is made of both formula and artistry.
Act 1
Opening Image
- Single-scene beat
- Meet the protagonist in their life before the story takes off. (The status quo world or the A story)
Theme Stated
- Single-scene beat
- A subconscious hint to what your story is really about, and the life lesson your hero will overcome
- The foreshadow
- Best planted by a secondary character
Setup
- Multi-scene beat
- What kind of person are they? Show their flaws to make him human. No good hero is perfect.
- Show their goal. Your hero thinks it’s the solution, but it’s their want and not their need.
- Introduce everyone that exists in your hero’s Act 1 status quo world.
- Plant the seed in the reader’s mind that change is crucial.
Catalyst
- Single-scene beat
- A life-changing event. Something bad happens, knocking him down—hard.
- It’s a wake-up call and a call to action. This is something that happens that is a big deal.
- If your hero can easily return to their life before, it’s not big enough and try again.
- Your reader should be asking “Why did this happen? Who are the bad guys?”
Debate
- Multi-scene beat
- Reaction to the catalyst
- Character development
- Your main character has a dilemma
- He is resistant to accept the change that’s been thrown at him, trying to stay in his normal life.
- Must make a difficult decision, or take preparation.
Act 2
Break Into 2
- Single-scene beat
- Not at the 25% mark yet
- Transition into the upside-down world of Act 2
- It’s game on now, the challenge is afoot! We are not in Kansas anymore.
- Leave the old way of thinking behind
- The hero is taking action to solve problems set up in Act 1, but does it wrong, trying to take the easy way out.
- He is still partially in denial.
B Story
- Single-scene beat
- Still not at the 25% mark of the story yet
- This introduces the character who’ll represent the B story (this new world that is in Act 2) and help the hero to learn it.
- This is a love interest, friend, nemesis, or mentor.
- The hero could never have met or noticed the character in Act 1.
- Helps guide the hero towards his life lesson or theme.
Fun and Games
- Multi-scene beat
- Spans from around the 25% mark to the 50% mark, butting up to the Mid-Point
- Takes up 25% to 30% of your story
- Deliver on the promise of the novel.
- Show us how the hero is faring in the new Act 2 world.
- Your hero shines in his new world, or he flounders in it. He is learning.
- The hero succeeds at something and then fails at something and so forth.
- You need to make a choice here: end on a note that is either heading towards success or heading towards failure.
Mid-Point
- Single-scene beat
- The 50% mark
- The midpoint changes the direction of the story and makes it impossible for your protagonist to return to his previous life.
Three things must happen.
- The hero experiences either a false defeat or a false victory.
- The stakes of the story are raised.
- The A and B stories intersect in some way. A and B story character cross paths.
- This is the “shi* just got real” beat. A game-changing plot twist.
- Begin the shift from what the character wants to what the character needs.
- Lay it on, and keep the hero moving forward.
Bad Guys Break In
- Multi-scene beat
- The 50% to 75% mark of the story. Second longest beat
- This is where you rebound after a false defeat or fall down after a false victory.
- The bad guys regroup and come at your hero stronger, more organized and with bigger and badder weapons.
If your midpoint was:
- A false victory, then yes, here is the part where it’s going to be a downward spiral. More bad shi* happens, heap it on in droves.
- A false defeat do the opposite.
- In both cases the internal bad guys are still hard at work, destroying happiness, etc.
- The hero learns the theme and fixes their life the right way.
- The bad guys keep wreaking havoc and pushing your hero to the lowest of the low points.
All is Lost
- Single-scene beat
- 75% mark
- It’s rock-bottom. We bring the hero so low he has no choice but to commit to changing.
- This is big, even bigger than the catalyst. All really does seem lost.
- Kill people! Hurt people. Do some really terrible stuff here! A lot of characters die or almost die at this point.
- If there isn’t a death here, there’s a whiff of it, a tragedy of some sort.
- Something must end here to signify the old way of thinking, so a new one can be born.
- The hero is in some way responsible for something here. The hero has nothing else to do but wallow in their defeat and reflect on their choices and their life.
Dark Night of the Soul
- Multi-scene beat
- End of Act 2 in the 75% to 80% mark
- We see how your hero reacts to all that is lost, and how they eventually come up with a resolution.
- This is another internal debate. Your protagonist is being driven crazy. They’re breaking down their life and analyzing their choices, and failures.
- Use several scenes to show how the hero is dealing with this defeat.
- Bring them back to where they were in Act 1, somewhere familiar and safe, but it doesn’t feel familiar and safe anymore. Reflect on what used to be.
- This is the darkness before the dawn. It’s the big moment before the big breakthrough happens.
- Then the hero sees things in a new light, the truth finally becomes clear. (This part transitions into Act 3)
- They’re slowing and coming to an ultimate conclusion. What will the hero do now?
Act 3
Break Into 3
- Single-scene beat
- Bring the hero into Act 3, starts at 80% mark
- Things will finally be fixed the right way. This is the solution.
- Until now, the hero has tried everything they could to avoid the real issues in their life.
- Show this realization and the decision that comes out of it.
Finale
- Multi-scene beat
- Spans almost the entire 3rd Act and 20% of the story
- Resolves all of the problems in Act 2 and proves that the hero has been transformed.
- Final build-up to the climax, the climax, and the resolution.
- Your hero creates a plan.
Use the five-point finale:
- Gather the team—Get allies, and mend fences. Your hero admits that he was wrong. Alternatively, gather supplies, weapons, lay out the route, etc. Preparation for the big exciting plan.
- Execute the plan—You’re all set, so it’s go-time. The plan seems crazy at first, but with every step it seems to be working. Secondary characters make a sacrifice and start dying off or move aside and let the hero shine.
- The Surprise—The hero is led into a trap because he’s overconfident. It was never going to be that easy. Place another twist and another challenge to make the hero prove his worth.
- Dig Deep Down—Here is another debate, cause, and effect. He’s been defeated again and has nothing left, no plan, no backup, no hope and yet they still have something. This is the flaw he overcame. The proof he has changed. Your hero takes that final leap of faith here, it’s something he never would have done in his past life.
- Execution of the new Plan—Your hero puts his bold innovative new plan into action, and of course, it works. Take your hero to hell and back and make him work for his victory.
Final Image
- Single-scene beat
- Provide an after snapshot of your hero and how much his life has changed.
- Show us what your hero looks like after this epic transformative journey is complete.
And there it is. Apply this to your WIP or in the plotting stage for your next story and watch the magic happen.
Buy Save the Cat! Writes a Novel
(I receive no compensation, nor am I an affiliate marketer for her book—it’s just that good!)
Need editing or publishing help with your fiction story or memoir? I offer free consultation and personalized quotes. Let’s connect. Send me an email: griffinsmith74@gmail.com
