Nanowriom Tips #3--The Beat Sheet

NOW it’s week 3 (my math/date/time troubles are infamous. Sorry).

This is the week when you are supposedly already 50% done, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

The trouble is, you might not know how to get to that light. Or which light to go towards. Or how to make a light appear.

The problem you might be having can depend on what kind of writer you are. Me? I’m a “pantser.” This is short for “Seat of your pants,” as in, I don’t write from an outline. I write to find out what happens. This is an exciting way to discover a story, but sometimes, I find that I have written myself into a corner. Or I’ve written myself into a dark corner. A very dark corner. What’s a pantser to do?

The “other” kind of writer does copious pre-writing and planning and follows her outline to the letter. Still, this kind of writer isn’t immune to getting lost, disillusioned, or finding  herself in a dark corner of a broken storyline. Sometimes the story you planned isn’t as interesting as the story that is being written, or wants to be written.

Enter the Beat Sheet. This is a mini-outline developed by Blake Snyder who wrote one of my favorite books on long-form narrative: Save the Cat. I know. It says “Screenwriting book” on the cover, but I believe that long-form narrative is long-form narrative. They all have similar “beats.” If you don’t believe me, ask Joseph Campbell.

Anyway, there are lots of ways to use this tool. Here are some ways I use it:

1.     I use it to give myself a little road-map when I start. I’m a pantser, but I like to see where my options lie.
2.     I love using the beat sheet to try out different endings or brainstorm scenes that need to be written. 
3.     If I’m stuck, I can look a the beat sheet and say, “Okay. I’ve written the midpoint…what should come next?” That way I can battle the writer’s block with a scaffold. Sometimes creativity needs a little restriction or structure to give it focus.
4.     Finally, I use it AFTER Nanowrimo as an organizational tool. I shuffle scenes around until they seem to be in the “right” place.

Blake Snyder argues that screenplays all must follow the Beat Sheet exactly. He is probably right about screenplays, but novels can be more loosely organized. However, the major “beats” should all be present, and should occur in approximately this order.

If you are writing a non-linear novel, then I would argue that the actual timeline of events in the novel should follow the beats, even if they occur in some other order in the book.

This is a tool to help with generation and organization. I do not see it as the end-all and be-all. But it really helps me.

I’ve pasted the beats at the end with approximate page numbers the beats should occur on. are. For a full explanation, go buy Save the Cat. It is a great read.

Below, I’ve posted a cheat-sheet chart explaining what the beats are.

Act I—first 25% of your work (page numbers are based on a 100 page work)
•  Opening image	The first impression of the “movie” or book
•  Theme stated 5	Someone (usually not the main character) will state the theme of the book.
•  Set-up first 10	The place to grab the reader. Introduce the characters, setting, etc. Establish the status quo.
•  Catalyst 15	The catalyst upsets the status quo.
•  Debate 12-25	Main character tries to decide what to do.
•  Break into Two 25	Moment we leave the “old” world and go into the new, non-status quo world.
Act Two—next 50% of your work
•  B Story 30	Usually the “love story.” Carries the same theme as the rest of the story
•  Fun and games 30-55	Think “movie trailer.” Promise of the premise.
•  Midpoint 55	Peak or valley in the main character’s story arc. The stakes are raised.
•  Bad Guys Close in 55-75	All seems fine, but the bad guys are temporarily defeated at the midpoint, but they regroup and come again. The good guy’s “team” begins to fall apart
•  All is Lost 75	Whiff of death. Things are so bad, the audience wonders how on earth the hero is going to survive.
•  Dark Night of the Soul 75-85	“Oh, Lord. Why hast thou forsaken me?” moment. The hero thinks it is hopeless.
•  Break into Three	Hazzah! The solution occurs to our hero!
Act Three—last 25% of your work
•  Finale 85-100	Apply lessons learned. Fight the bad guy. Reinstate status quo.
•  Final Image (end)	This image is the opposite of the opening image. Proof that change has occurred.

And here is the beat sheet, ready for you to fill out yourself!

Blake Snyder’s Beat Sheet

  Act I—first 25% of your work (page numbers are based on a 100 page work)

•  Opening image

•  Theme stated 5

•  Set-up first 10

•  Catalyst 15

•  Debate 12-25

•  Break into Two 25

Act Two—next 50% of your work

•  B Story 30

•  Fun and games 30-55

•  Midpoint 55

•  Bad Guys Close in 55-75

•  All is Lost 75

•  Dark Night of the Soul 75-85

•  Break into Three

Act Three—last 25% of your work

•  Finale 85-100

•  Final Image (end)

I hope this helps you tease out the important scenes in your story!

Until next week,

m