Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Save the Cat! Blake Snyder passes away


As some of you know, I am a great admirer of Blake Snyder's Save The Cat! Anne McAllister introduced me to his work, and it was clear that here was a man who knew what he was talking about and was very generously prepared to share. Unfortunately Blake Snyder died on 4 August of a cardiac arrest and the world is a poorer place.

I have used (and will continue to use) his beat sheet. It really does help with the plotting. Although my Story Board has some modifications from his model, it has proved a useful way to rapidly see my problems with a story. I loved his easy to remember mantras. The whole Save the Cat! saved me when I came to do revisions for The Viking's Captive Princess. Suddenly it was clear what the problem was and how it could be solved.

He was absolutely generous with his time and made it a point to answer any email. I loved his blog as it always made me think, even though it was aimed at screenwriters and would be screenwriters rather than novelists. The principles still worked.

I know he was working on other books about screenwriting, including one on the romance genre. It is unfortunate that these will not be finished. (Hint it would be great if they could be -- somehow) However, his influence will live on. He will remain a presence in many writers' lives. If you write commercial fiction I do recommend reading and absorbing Save the Cat and Save the Cat Goes to the Movies. His ideas are timeless.

1 comment:

Jen Black said...

That's sad - he seemed so young, and I was looking forward to the romance hints, too.