Save the Cat Beat Sheet Template
Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! is one of the most influential screenwriting books ever written — and novelists quickly adopted it. The 15-beat structure gives you precise story milestones with exact page counts. Jessica Brody's 'Save the Cat! Writes a Novel' showed how powerfully it works for fiction. This free template includes beat descriptions and word count targets for an 80,000–90,000-word novel.
What's Inside This Template
1Opening Acts (Beats 1–5)
- Beat 1 — Opening Image (p. 1 / ~800 words): A 'before' snapshot of your hero's world
- Beat 2 — Theme Stated (p. 5 / ~4,000 words): A hint at what your story is really about
- Beat 3 — Set-Up (pp. 1–10 / ~8,000 words): Establish world, characters, and the status quo
- Beat 4 — Catalyst (p. 12 / ~10,000 words): The inciting incident that disrupts everything
- Beat 5 — Debate (pp. 12–25 / ~10,000–20,000 words): The hero wrestles with the call
2Middle Acts (Beats 6–10)
- Beat 6 — Break Into Two (p. 25 / ~22,500 words): Hero makes the choice and enters Act 2
- Beat 7 — B Story (p. 30 / ~25,000 words): The love story or subplot that carries the theme
- Beat 8 — Fun & Games (pp. 30–55 / ~25,000–45,000 words): Genre promise delivered
- Beat 9 — Midpoint (p. 55 / ~45,000 words): A false victory or false defeat
- Beat 10 — Bad Guys Close In (pp. 55–75 / ~45,000–60,000 words): Mounting pressure
3Closing Acts (Beats 11–15)
- Beat 11 — All Is Lost (p. 75 / ~62,500 words): The whiff of death — the darkest moment
- Beat 12 — Dark Night of the Soul (pp. 75–80 / ~62,500–67,000 words): Reflection before action
- Beat 13 — Break Into Three (p. 80 / ~67,500 words): Hero finds the solution
- Beat 14 — Finale (pp. 80–99 / ~67,500–85,000 words): The climax; the world is transformed
- Beat 15 — Final Image (p. 110 / ~90,000 words): An 'after' snapshot; mirror of the opening
How to Use This Template
Set Up Your Story World (Beats 1–5)
Open with an image that defines your hero's 'before' state. State your theme early, set up the world and characters, then hit your catalyst around the 10% mark. Give your hero time to debate before committing.
Deliver the Promise (Beats 6–10)
At the 25% mark, break into Act 2. Introduce your B story and deliver the genre's promise with Fun & Games. Hit the midpoint at exactly 50% with a major turn, then tighten the pressure through the second half of Act 2.
Drive to the Climax (Beats 11–15)
At 75%, deliver All Is Lost. Give the hero a Dark Night of the Soul, then propel them into the Finale. Close with a Final Image that mirrors your opening, showing complete transformation.