Learn how the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet can be applied successfully to fiction. The legion of novel writers who use the Beat Sheet includes Alyson Noël, Nina Bruhns, Kristan Higgins, Marilyn Brandt, Kieran Kramer… and Jessica Brody, who has sold 8 novels (4 optioned for film) using the Save the Cat!® system of story structure principles.
Jessica and Master Cat! Ben Frahm will lead this intensive workshop. Walk in on Saturday morning with an idea for a novel, and leave on Sunday evening with the 15 key beats that will serve as its foundation. Because the class is limited to 10 writers, you will experience personalized interactive training each step of the way.
Over the course of a weekend, you will:
– Learn the difference between a pitch and a logline, and why you must nail each one before approaching agents or publishers with your novel.
– Lock down your logline to give your story a straight spine.
– Learn the 15 key beats found in any story to make yours resonate with what is “primal.”
– Crack the “Magical Midpoint” — the secret of every story’s power.
– Find out why the Opening Image and the Final Image are your way to “doublecheck the math” of a hero’s transformation.
– Practice your pitch and improve your technique in front of a friendly group of fellow writers eager to help you succeed.
– Network with other writers and get the opportunity to continue working at free Cat! writing groups, as well as be considered for the invitation-only Master Board Class.
The Workshop Schedule
Day One
– Find your story according to Blake’s four elements of every successful logline.
– Crack your story and your hero’s transformation with the Opening Image, Midpoint, and Final Image.
Day Two
– “Beat out” the remaining beats of your story using the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet.
– Pitch your story to the class using the 15 key beats every successful novel must have.
Check the calendar for the latest Beat Sheet Workshop schedule.
Next Available Novel-Writing Beat Sheet Workshops:
LOS ANGELES
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, April 16-17
9:00 am – 6:00 pm (with 1-hour lunchbreak)
$395
Enroll now and receive a $20 discount on Blake’s Story Structure Software.
Please contact Rich Kaplan at [email protected].
Next week’s blog: “Why Hire a Consultant” by Adam Levenberg
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Many of us have been struggling for years to modify the Beat Sheet to novels, and now that it is fait accompli I hope the Novel Beat Sheet will be listed on the Tools page alongside the original Beat Sheet and made available to all.
This is perfect! A dream come true! Wish I could attend. Love STC and Jessica:)
Hey Jackie! Thanks for commenting! Just to clarify: the beat sheet itself hasn’t changed for the novel. The beats are all still the same. However, some of the finer details of each beat have to be “tweaked” to fit the novel format. And of course, the page counts are much different! We’ll be going over these nuances in the workshop. And hopefully posting more blogs on the subject shortly. In the meantime, check out the postings from myself and Marilyn Brandt on adapting the beat sheet for novels!
Happy writing!
Jessica
Here’s Jessica’s blog on the beats: http://www.epopp.com/savethecat/2010/09/17/the-last-novel-writing-book-you%e2%80%99ll-ever-need/
And here’s Marilyn Brandt’s:
http://www.epopp.com/savethecat/2010/10/29/the-bs2-x-4-beating-out-a-novel-in-quadruplicate/
Hey Jessica! Will you be running this workshop again or can you post a blog on the nuances of adapting the beat sheet to writing a novel?
Many thanks
Jayne
I was curious if you would be doing another workshop anytime soon in the LA area? Many thanks!