Save the Cat! software isn't just for the movies

 

     The first time I heard about Save the Cat! software from Blake Snyder, I expected a program that helped write or design movies. STC! (Save the Cat!) does help

with the design phase of screenplays, but oddly the process works for television shows and novels. STC! helps writers with story pacing.

      Are your characters and actions where you need them by a certain place in your story arc? STC! can help. The software takes it's name from the first book in the excellent Save the Cat! trilogy by Mr. Snyder. In the video below, you can see the software looks like a story-planning cork board. There is a section for characters, for locations, for actions, and for the actio/reaction breaks called "beats."
 

    To plan your movie, you break the film down into timings based on the total length. So at, say ten-minutes a certain action should happen, you have an outline to write that action into your screenplay at a pre-selected place. With a novel, it works the same way. You start with your novel length, and then plan what actions you need to occur by a certain place in the story. By moving the actions, you have an idea of the page number where the action should occur in your story. The site contains a couple of discussions on writing novels using STC! software methods.
Using Screenplay Techniques in Novel Writing

Does Your Book Read Like a Movie?

Oh, and if you're not ready to spend the money without trying it out, there's a 30-day trial you can download and start using in a few minutes.