Save the Cat!® Beat Sheet Workshop
Live Story Structure Workshop for Screenwriters, Novelists, Memoirists & Non-Fiction Writers

February 23 – March 3, 2026 | Live on Zoom (Weeknights)

In this live Save the Cat! Beat Sheet Workshop, you’ll start with an idea and finish with a complete 15-beat story outline, plus a pitch-ready logline—guided step-by-step using the Save the Cat! story structure methodology.

This workshop is designed for screenwriters, novelists, non-fiction writers, and memoirists, and is effective whether you’re writing for the screen or the page.

This is our first live weekday workshop (no weekends), created in response to writer feedback and built for writers who want focused, hands-on story development in a small group.

What You’ll Learn

In this live Zoom workshop (4 sessions over 2 weeks), you’ll dig deep to develop a compelling story—for a film, a novel, non-fiction, or a memoir—along with a clear, confident pitch.

You will:
* Craft a logline that clearly sells your story
* Identify your Hero, Goal, Obstacle, and Stakes
* Develop a theme that motivates your Hero’s actions
* Create a meaningful character arc and transformation
* Work out all 15 beats of your story using Save the Cat! structure

Capped at just 8 writers, this workshop is highly interactive, with live feedback and instructor guidance—beat-by-beat, step-by-step.

Who This Workshop Is For

This class is for all storytellers, no matter your medium.

It’s ideal if you’re:
* Writing a screenplay or a TV pilot
* Plotting or revising a novel, memoir, or work of non-fiction
* Developing a story idea that isn’t quite working yet
* Looking for a clear, repeatable story structure that holds together

The Save the Cat! beats apply equally to stories written for the screen or the page.

Workshop Format & Schedule

4 live Zoom sessions, each 2.5 hours long:

Monday, February 23, 2026: 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM eastern

Tuesday, February 24, 2026: 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM eastern

Monday, March 2, 2026: 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM eastern

Tuesday, March 3, 2026: 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM eastern

Between sessions, you’ll complete short assignments designed to move your story steadily toward a finished beat sheet.

What You’ll Leave With

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have:
* A complete Save the Cat! Beat Sheet (all 15 beats)
* A clear logline and pitch (useful for novels, scripts, memoirs, and works of non-fiction)
* A solid story roadmap you can immediately start writing from
* A deeper understanding of story structure for long-form storytelling

Your Instructor: John Yearley

John Yearley is a TV writer, playwright, and screenwriter who teaches Screenwriting at Drexel University and Playwriting and TV Writing at Temple University. He has worked as a script doctor for New Line Cinema and has written for Arthur and Treasure Trekkers.

As a playwright, John has won the Mickey Kaplan New American Play Prize (Ephemera), the John Gassner Award (Leap), and the Macy’s New Play Prize for Young Audiences (The Last Wish). His latest play, Triptych, ran at The Barrow Group in NYC in 2024.

John is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Writers Guild, and is a two-time MacDowell Fellow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this workshop only for screenwriters?
No. This workshop is designed for screenwriters, novelists, non-fiction writers, and memoirists. The Save the Cat! beat sheet works for stories written for the screen and the page.

Do I need prior experience with Save the Cat!?
No. This workshop works for both writers new to the method and those already familiar with it.

Will I finish a full beat sheet?
Yes. The goal is to complete all 15 beats by the final session.