In What Order Should You Write Your Beats?
Naomi Beaty
1 min read
For many writers, staring at a blank Beat Sheet can be intimidating. In Part 2 of this 6-part podcast series, Master Cat Naomi Beaty shows how starting at the top and working in chronological order may not be the easiest way for your Beat Sheet to come together — it might even make the process more difficult! Naomi shares strategies that can help you develop your Beat Sheet in a way that works for you.
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Naomi Beaty
Naomi Beaty worked with Blake Snyder on Save the Cat!® Goes to the Movies. When living in Los Angeles, Naomi taught our Beat Sheet Workshops and hosted some of the STC! podcasts.
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7 Comments
Wow, yes. For me this is more of an intuitive process. But, you were able to flesh this concept out really well. It helps when writers can think in terms of anchoring the story in one point or another, and then working either backwards or forwards from that spot. And, people should know that what they thought was a major beat that turns the plot can suddenly fit better as a different beat altogether. But writers need to be flexible of mind enough to know that these points can be placed (nearly) anywhere in the story, depending on what you’re writing, of course.
Hey Tim! Yep – it’s almost never a linear process, is it? “Flexible of mind” is a great description (and bar for all of us to aim for). Thanks again for listening!
Great! An anchor point as a guidepost. I have just formed the strong belief you just saved me a few years of horrible angst.
Hi Martin! I genuinely hope I have saved you those years of horrible angst 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
Hi Naomi, it is so useful as always. Thank you so much for this new podcast series.
I also find the image that illustrates this article and recaps the Break into two very useful. Do you know where I can find the other ones for all the beat sheets ? If they exist.
Thanks from Paris !
Hi Allan,
Those graphics are from our Crash Course. We use them at times for illustration but they’re not all available unless you purchase the course.
OK BJ thanks for the info!