Jessica Brody's Blog

After two long years, the secret is finally out! I WROTE A MURDER MYSTERY!

This was a brand-new genre for me (and my first novel for adults since 2009!). It started out as just an experiment. To see if I could write a mystery novel. What resulted was probably the most enjoyable two years of my writing career. I had SO much fun writing and revising this novel and now I’m absolutely beyond thrilled to announce that it’s found a home at my dream imprint and publisher: Bantam Dell/Random House!

The book is set to be published in Fall 2026! If you want to learn more, below is the short pitch my agent used to submit the book to publishers.

The Pitch:

If you want to write a murder, you have to set it in the right location—like an old, converted monastery with an ominous past, hidden deep in the mountains. Then, you have to invite the right people—like a group of mystery writers attending a prestigious mystery-writing conference. Of course, someone should not be invited but show up anyway—like the disgraced literary agent accused of stealing from his top client. Everyone in the story must be hiding something so they can all become suspects when someone ends up dead. That’s when they’ll turn on each other, digging into the past to uncover dark truths—like an obsessive fan with a deadly secret, a book canceled on the eve of publication, and two million dollars in missing royalties. But don’t forget to trap everyone there—a landslide should do the trick—so they can’t escape when more people turn up dead…

Welcome to the perfect murder. Nothing will go wrong. Because if anyone can get away with murder, it’s a writer.

HOW TO WRITE A MURDER is Jessica Brody’s debut mystery and first adult novel since the success of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel. This humorous, metafictional twist on the classic murder mystery blurs the line between author, character, and reader, resulting in a gripping read that both exposes and celebrates the power of storytelling. Combining the intrigue and atmosphere of The Guest List with the wit and charm of The Thursday Murder Club, this twisty, locked-room puzzle culminates in an ending you won’t see coming.

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I can’t wait to share this novel with the world. It really has been my passion project for the past two years and I can’t believe it will soon be in the hands of readers!

 

 

The post Announcing HOW TO WRITE A MURDER (a novel) – Coming Fall 2026! appeared first on Jessica Brody.

I’m beyond thrilled to share some huge news: my next writing craft book is coming in 2026 from Hay House Publishing!

PAGE ONE TO DONE: The 30-Day No-Fail Novel Fast Drafting Method

If you’ve ever struggled to finish a first draft (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t?), this book is for you. Based on my popular on-demand course, Novel Fast Drafting, this proven method has helped thousands of writers in my Writing Mastery Academy complete their manuscripts in weeks instead of years. Now PAGE ONE TO DONE brings this revolutionary approach to novel writing to book form!

While Save the Cat! Writes a Novel teaches you how to craft the structure of your story, PAGE ONE TO DONE shows you how to get that story out of your head and onto the page. Think of it as the perfect companion guide – taking you from beat sheet to completed first draft with speed and confidence.

The book is scheduled to release in May 2026!

Don’t want to wait until 2026 to start finishing your first drafts faster? You don’t have to!

Download my Free First Draft Accelerator guide to start you fast drafting today:

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WANT TO WRITE YOUR FIRST DRAFT 10X FASTER?

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Stay tuned for more details about the book, including an upcoming cover reveal! I can’t wait to share this book with the world!

WHAT WRITERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE FAST DRAFTING METHOD

“My mind is BLOWN . Please, pretty please #writingcommmunity listen when I say this is a game-changer! I went from barely getting words down to crushing 1000 words/day!”
– Monica L. (Fast Drafting Convert)

“I completed the first draft of my first novel: 85,000 words written over the course of 8 weeks, all thanks to this Fast Drafting course! I’m over the moon and incredibly grateful.”
– Megan H (Fast Drafting convert)

“Fantastic. 80k words in 27 days. Couldn’t have done it w/o the concepts in this course.”
– Ron F. (Fast Drafting convert)

“Finishing a book has always felt like a distant dream, however, after taking this course, I really feel like I can do this. I’ve never felt more confident in my ability to write my book.”
– Shan P. (Fast Drafting convert)

“By far one of the most useful approaches to getting a first draft done that I’ve ever encountered.”
– Carol M. (Fast Drafting convert)

 

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the bestselling author of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel comes a revolutionary approach to novel writing that transforms the daunting first draft process into an achievable, joyful journey. Drawing from her experience writing over 20 novels and teaching thousands of writers, Jessica Brody presents the Fast Drafting method—a proven system for completing your novel with confidence, speed, and creative freedom.

Forget everything you thought you knew about writing a first draft. Rather than struggling with perfectionism and endless revisions, learn how to embrace the messy “discovery draft” and finally finish your story. Through Brody’s unique three-phase approach—Mindset, Preparation, and Drafting—you’ll discover:

Why trying to write a “good” first draft is the fastest path to failure—and what to do insteadHow to quiet your inner critic and tap into genuine creative flowA flexible planning system that works whether you’re a detailed plotter or prefer to “write by the seat of your pants”How to establish a super productive, consistent writing routine that gets you into the optimal writing zone every dayThe mindset, resources, and skills to finish the first draft of a full-length novel in as little as 30 days

Perfect for both newcomers and experienced writers, this comprehensive guide adapts Brody’s successful online course into book form. Whether you’ve never written a novel or you’re a published author looking for a more efficient approach, you’ll discover how to transform the challenging first draft process into one filled with confidence, creative joy, and most importantly—a finished manuscript.

The post Announcing PAGE ONE TO DONE: My New Novel-Writing Guide! appeared first on Jessica Brody.

Get 5 Bonus Beat Sheets when you purchase Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel! Plus, also get a free ticket to Jessica’s one-time-only “Plot-Along” Workshop when you purchase a paperback copy from a U.S. Independent bookstore (Open Internationally).

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The post OFFER EXTENDED: Get a free Bonus eBook when you purchase Save the Cat! Writes a YA Novel! appeared first on Jessica Brody.

It’s almost here! Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel releases on July 18, 2023 and in this post, I’m thrilled to share all the juicy details. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

First off…

There’s a new Save the Cat book?

Yup, in case you haven’t heard, there’s a new Save the Cat! book heading your way on July 18, 2023. Yes, I know the release date has been shuffled around quite a bit, but that’s just the nature of the publishing business.

So, what is it all about? Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel takes the renowned Save the Cat! storytelling methodology (yes, the same one presented in Save the Cat! Writes a Novel) and applies it specifically to the realm of Young Adult fiction.

Yes, you read that correctly—an entire book dedicated to using Save the Cat! for writing Young Adult novels. However, I want to emphasize that this book isn’t exclusively for YA novelists. Writers of any age group or genre can derive significant value from it, as you’ll soon discover. So, stay tuned!

Why a YA version?

Now, you might be wondering, why did I feel the need to create a YA version in the first place? Didn’t the original novel-writing book already include plenty of YA examples?

While it’s true that the original book did feature some YA examples, the lens through which we approach young adult stories is distinctly unique. Having written over fifteen YA novels in my career, I can confidently say that YA is a novel-writing beast of its own and deserves a dedicated guide. This allows us to delve deep into the study of story structure using exclusively young adult examples.

For example…

What does a Catalyst look like in a YA novel?

What are the wants, needs, and problems of teenage heroes?

How do we escalate the stakes at the Midpoint of a YA novel?

How are the beats customized in YA fiction?

These are all questions I set out to answer in this new guide.

YA novels showcase some of the most structurally complex and well-written stories on bookshelves today. In this book, I break down some of the most successful examples while also providing guidance on plotting your very own YA masterpieces.

“I don’t write YA. So I don’t need this book, right?”

Well…let’s see.

I firmly believe that the best way to learn anything, especially storytelling, is through examples. When we witness the 15 beats in action repeatedly, they start to click. That’s precisely why I consistently incorporate new examples in my webinars and online courses. I know that one of those examples will trigger that “aha” moment for a writer, helping them unravel the intricacies of their own story.

The more we analyze story structure in various novels, the easier it becomes to structure our own work. It’s as simple as that.

So, even if you don’t write YA, you can still gain immense knowledge from the plethora of new examples I’ve analyzed and broken down in this book. It features 10 new full-length beat sheets that offer valuable insights.

For instance, if you’re writing a multiple POV novel and seek guidance on how to weave multiple heroes into your beat sheet, you’ll find immense value in the beat sheets for Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows, Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, and Karen M. McManus’s One of Us is Lying. These three exceptional multiple POV novels are showcased in the book.

Likewise, if you’re crafting a narrative with extensive flashbacks and desire guidance on seamlessly integrating them into your story, the full beat sheet for Gayle Forman’s If I Stay serves as an excellent study resource.

Apart from the new examples, I’ve included a wealth of fresh insights about the Save the Cat! method that I’ve gathered since writing the last book. These insights encompass novel ways to approach the beats, alternative perspectives on structure, detailed explanations of key strategies, and methods to customize the beats to suit your unique story. My hope is that all of this will inspire you, help overcome any plotting obstacles, and generate those pivotal “aha” moments that enable you to tell your story even better.

Is there new content that’s not in the first book?

Absolutely! There is indeed new content in this book that wasn’t covered in Save the Cat! Writes a Novel.

First and foremost…

Customizing Your Beat Sheet Chapter

Since the release of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, I’ve received numerous inquiries from writers seeking ways to customize the 15 beats to better suit their stories. They’ve asked about incorporating multiple points of view, prologues, flashbacks, backstory, villain stories, and even Catalysts that occur on the first page!

Many of these aspects weren’t extensively addressed in the first book, if at all. Hence, in this new book, I’ve dedicated an entire chapter called “Customizing Your Beat Sheet.” Consider it an “advanced beat sheet” chapter where you can build upon the foundational knowledge presented in the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet chapter and make it your own. Once again, I analyze and break down numerous examples from authors who put their creative spin on basic story structure, allowing us to learn from their successes and find inspiration.

And the addition that I’m particularly excited about is…

Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult SERIES chapter!

Your requests have been heard and answered! In this book, I provide an in-depth exploration of series writing, unlike anything I’ve done before. I show you how the Save the Cat! method, along with the 15 beats, can assist you in structuring, planning, and writing a compelling series. And yes, you guessed it—this chapter is filled with more examples!

Which novels are featured in the book?

Aha! The moment of reveal! These are the ten YA novels whose full beat sheets are showcased in Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel.

For the Rites of Passage genre, you’ll have the opportunity to delve into the full 15-beat breakdown of Jenny Han’s heartwarming coming-of-age story, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Contemporary novelists, don’t miss this one! It’s a fantastic example of a character-driven story with a compelling premise and an inspiring character arc. Pay special attention to its five-point finale, as crafting one in a character-driven story isn’t always a simple feat.

In the Buddy Love genre, I’ve chosen to analyze John Green’s masterpiece, The Fault in Our Stars. Romance novelists, take note—this is a must-read. Green’s pitch-perfect narrative, combined with stellar plotting, creates a memorable story that flawlessly incorporates all 15 beats. But beware the All is Lost and bring tissues (if you know, you know).

To explore the Institutionalized genre, we dive into Lois Lowry’s Newbery-winning novel, The Giver. This book may be short, but it packs a powerful punch. If you want to study dystopian worldbuilding alongside flawless structure, this is your guide. Pay attention to how Lowry handles a longer-than-average Setup beat and juggles the beats to accommodate it, all while maintaining compelling pages until the Catalyst beat arrives slightly later than usual.

Now, let’s move on to the Superhero genre. Tomi Adeyemi’s high fantasy novel, Children of Blood and Bone takes the spotlight. Brace yourself, because this beat sheet is a behemoth! With three points of view and three intersecting beat sheets that culminate in three five-point finales, it’s a structural masterpiece. If you’re seeking guidance on integrating worldbuilding into your story and/or writing multiple points of view, this is the book to study. Adeyemi has truly nailed it.

Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows represents the Golden Fleece genre. Yes, you guessed it—it’s got a team, a prize, and a road. But wait, there’s more! This multiple-POV novel stands out as the five heroes actually share beats and have a joint beat sheet (or what I like to call a team beat sheet). I delve into multiple POVs in greater detail in the book, but make sure to explore this one for superb worldbuilding and plotting. And that five-point finale? Prepare to be blown away. Leigh Bardugo is an absolute genius.

Next on our list is the Fool Triumphant genre. For this genre, I’ve  broken down Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl. This novel serves as an excellent study for those of you crafting stories with a Catalyst on the very first page. Stargirl accomplishes precisely that. But how do the other beats unfold? In this beat sheet, you’ll witness the merging of the Setup and Debate beats, offering valuable insights into how it can be done effectively.

Now, let’s dive into the Dude with a Problem genre—the genre with the best title! And what better book to analyze than Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games? Raise your hand if you saw that coming. This beat sheet is essential for all novelists, regardless of the genre. It showcases sheer structural brilliance and remains one of my all-time favorite examples of the 15 beats in action. Prepare to be captivated from start to finish.

Moving forward, we have the Out of the Bottle genre. As mentioned earlier, Gayle Forman’s If I Stay is an excellent novel to study due to its masterful use of flashbacks. Where do flashbacks fit in the Save the Cat! beat sheet? In this new book, I delve into that topic in greater detail, using If I Stay as a prime example. Additionally, this novel exemplifies a character-driven, contemporary story (with a touch of magic!) with a rock-solid 15-beat structure!

Next up, the Whydunit genre. In this category, I’ve selected Karen M. McManus’s One of Us Is Lying as the featured beat sheet. This is another multiple POV novel, featuring four heroes. What sets this book apart is how the author crafts distinctive character arcs for all four of them. Each hero has their own set of problems, flaws, wants, needs, (and shards of glass!), seamlessly woven into a twisty-turny murder mystery. It’s a fantastic resource for those writing multiple POV or mystery novels, or perhaps both!

Last but not least, we explore the Monster in the House genre with Rory Power’s Wilder Girls. This book is chilling—in the best way possible. It combines a riveting horror narrative with a morally ambiguous ending, all while maintaining beautiful structure. If you’re interested in studying the inner workings of a horror novel and grappling with the challenge of having two POVs where only one is the hero, this beat sheet will be immensely helpful.

Want to know what exactly is a “Dude with a Problem” or a “Fool Triumphant?” Click here to download my free Save the Cat! Genre Guide! 

So, there you have it—everything you need to know about Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel and the incredible novels featured within.

I hope you’ll pick up a copy!

Enjoy the read, and as always, happy writing!

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The post My New Save the Cat! Book – Everything You Need to Know! appeared first on Jessica Brody.

My first official copy of SAVE THE CAT! WRITES A YA NOVEL has arrived! Of course, I couldn’t do just a regular unboxing video. See how many of Save the Cat! references you can catch!

 

Also, don’t miss out on your chance to nab 5 Bonus Beat Sheets (100 pages of extra content) when you preorder the book!

Get your paws on a FREE companion eBook packed with 5 exclusive bonus beat sheets from popular YA novels! Plus, if you order a paperback from a U.S. Independent Bookstore , you’ll also get an exclusive ticket to my LIVE “Plot-Along” Workshop where we’ll plot a brand-new novel together from scratch! (International shipping options available).

Don’t miss out! Get the details and upload your proof of purchase here! 

 

 

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The post Unboxing of Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel (The Beat Sheet) appeared first on Jessica Brody.

Get 5 Bonus Beat Sheets when you preorder Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel! Plus, also get a free ticket to Jessica’s one-time-only “Plot-Along” Workshop when you preorder from a U.S. Independent bookstore (Open Internationally).

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The post EPIC Preorder Offer for Save the Cat! Writes a YA Novel! appeared first on Jessica Brody.

 

In one of my recent office hours, someone told me they were struggling to find time to write. Life had gotten chaotic and unpredictable and they were feeling overwhelmed by the thought of abandoning their story in the middle.

This question really hit home for me because recently—over the past two weeks—I’ve had to stop working on my current novel (smack dab in the middle of the second draft!) because there was just NO time.

As someone known for the advice, “Write every day!” taking this time off from my novel was a hard decision to make. Could I have set the alarm an hour earlier each morning and carved out a smidgen of writing time? Sure. Could I have skipped my workout or daily meditation and written instead? I guess. But at what expense to my health and well-being?

Over the past month, my schedule was more chaotic than it’s been in a long time. I was juggling a book release, last minute edits on Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel, creating bonus beat sheets for an upcoming preorder campaign, building presentations for three different webinars, finishing an eight-week meditation course, studying for a certification class, and prepping for an upcoming trip. It was a LOT. (Fortunately, the meditation course was focused on reducing stress!) At the end of each day, I was exhausted. I knew trying to carve out one more hour would tip me over the edge.

But I got through it and I was finally able to clear the decks (and my headspace). Today was the first day I was able to get back to my novel and I won’t lie. I felt the absence. I felt distanced from the story and the characters. I felt “out of the loop,” like the characters had been living this whole life without me and I’d missed it. It was almost like FOMO for my own story.

Now I begin the long slog of ramping back up, reviewing what I have, sorting through my notes, my storyboard, and any other breadcrumbs I left for myself. I basically have to remerge myself into a world which—a few weeks ago—was like my second home.

But I’m trying to cut myself some slack. It can be easy (particularly for me) to think I can do it all. If I just try hard enough, wake up early enough, work a little faster, I can fit one more thing in. But I’ve learned in the past that this mentality often leads to disappointment and burn out. Our bodies and minds are miraculous, but they need breaks.

If you’re in this boat and are fretting over the decision to take some time away from your writing, allow me to offer you a few tips.

Go easy on yourself! Sometimes we need the rest now so we can bring our A game later, when we have more space in our schedule.Keep a pen and notebook (or a recording app) nearby. Just because you’re not actually sitting down to write, doesn’t mean you can’t daydream or open yourself up to ideas here and there. Jot them down (or record them into your phone) and then move on with your day.Take some time to leave yourself breadcrumbs – If you know you’re about to take a longer break from your story, leave yourself some notes. (I often record this into my phone so I can play it back later.) Ask yourself questions like: What scene am I working on now? What are my current struggles? What questions am I trying to answer? Where is the character emotionally at this point in the story? What threads have I been pulling through the previous scenes or chapters? Plus anything else your future self might find helpful. When you get back to your story, you’ll be grateful you took the time to do this.

Life is always changing. We can make plans all day long but in the end, sometimes we have to go with the flow, rather than try to force the flow to go with us. When life gets in the way, just know that your characters are not going anywhere. They’re waiting patiently for you to return. Like the trusty friends that they are.

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The post When you really DON’T have time to write appeared first on Jessica Brody.

I want to share you with a perspective that I wish someone would share with me every time I’m stuck in the middle of a draft (be it the 1st or 10th) and it isn’t working or the whole dang thing is feeling endless or pointless or wasted.

It’s a perspective I think I’ve always kind of felt but didn’t really see clearly until recently when I was sorting through old beat sheets for my novel, Amelia Gray is Almost Okay. And there were a lot of beat sheets. That’s because this book went through a lot of drafts.

I’m not going to lie. The writing and revising process for that particular book was a beast. The story changed so many times. I revised the heck out of it. Characters came and went. Plot points moved around like a game of musical chairs. Some drafts were never even finished and thrown out completely. And there were so many times when I felt like I was spinning my wheels and (shudder*)* WASTING TIME.

But as I looked back through all the notes and brainstorms from my process, I discovered something surprising. Enlightening, even! When I laid out all the variations of the beat sheets and analyzed what changed in each one, I saw something I’ve never seen before in my own work. At least, not this clearly.

I saw the evolution of my story.

The creative process in action.

My ideas were growing right before my eyes but I was so lost in the nitty gritty details and the desperation to make it all work, I couldn’t even see it. You could say, I was so shrouded in my own Dark Night of the Soul, I couldn’t see the transformation my ideas were undergoing.

I thought I was wasting time, wasting drafts, but really what I was doing was planting seeds. And with each and every draft, those seeds had time and space to grow and blossom into what eventually became the final draft.

One “failed” idea for the Bad Guys Close In ended up being the inspiration for an entirely new character backstory.

One “underutilized” character in a “wasted” draft ended up spawning one of my favorite scenes of the novel.

One “problem” that I couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out how to solve, ended up being solved (seemingly by magic!) because I had two many characters in a previous draft and had to combine them.

I was shocked to see the connections that I never made while I was in the throes of writing and revising. But that’s one of the things I’ve discovered that I love about teaching writing. It forces me to look at my own process, dissect it, analyze it, study it under a microscope and discover things that make me even more in awe of the creative process.

It truly is a process.

And expecting it to be anything else only cheats us out of the magic.

So, if you’re in the throes of one of those types of drafts, or even just having one of those types of days, I hope I can provide you some comfort when I say…

There’s no such thing as a wasted draft.

Or even a wasted chapter, page, or word.

There’s so such thing as a failed idea, or character, or plot point.

Trust that what you’re doing is paving the way for something else, planting seeds for something beautiful. Trust that your muse has a grand plan for it all, you just can’t see it yet. And then, trust that when it does come together, you’ll feel like you knew it all along.

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If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about goals once or twice (or more). Yes, I loooooove to talk about goals. I even wrote a blog post called “10 Fixes to the Most Common Plot Problems” (and spoiler! The answer to ALL 10 is GOALS!)

Goals give our stories momentum and give us, as writers, the inspirational fuel to keep writing. But when does a character’s goal change? And more important why?

Today, I’m breaking down the 3 most common places where a goal might change in a story (with examples!)

[Side note: This post refers to terminology from the Save the Cat! beat sheet. If you’re not yet familiar with the beat sheet, or want a refresher, be sure to read THIS POST first, and then come back here once you’re all caught up!]1. After the the Catalyst

So, if you’ve read Save the Cat! Writes a Novel or taken my Save the Cat! online course, you know that your main character (hero) should start out wanting something and pursuing it. We call that a “goal.” But really, it’s a starter goal. It gives the reader information about who this character is, based on what they want, and it gives your story momentum right from the start by showing your hero actively pursuing something (as opposed to lounging around on the coach all day which is typically not that fun to read about.) You could even think of this as the “status quo goal.”

But the Catalyst beat is designed to break the status quo, so naturally, you’ll find a lot of goals changing after the Catalyst hits.

In Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, Alina starts off with a very simple goal: to cross the ominous Shadow Fold and make it through alive…oh and maybe win the heart of Mal, her crush, at some point too.

All of that changes when, during the crossing, Mal is attacked and Alina unleashes a supernatural power she never knew she had: the ability to summon light. Suddenly, her life is no longer about secret crushes and ominous crossings. It’s about so much more.

First, her goal (and the goal of others around her) becomes about figuring out exactly who or what she is. Then shortly after, once it’s determined that she is a Sun Summoner, her goal becomes learning to harness her new-found power (which happens near the Break into 2).

Similarly, in Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, Eleanor starts off with a simple goal: sticking to her carefully timetabled existence. But after she sees Johnny, the rock star, at the Catalyst, her goal changes to: win Johnny’s heart, which kicks off her Break into 2.

These are both great examples of the Catalyst crash landing so hard into the hero’s status quo world that not much about that world can survive, including what they thought they wanted.

2. After the Midpoint

Similar to the Catalyst, the Midpoint beat is designed to shift the story. It’s a crossroads where one long beat (the Fun and Games) is ending and another long beat (the Bad Guys Close In) is beginning. And in order to make the Midpoint impactful, it’s important to introduce a sense of a shift here. Typically, we shift the direction of the plot (meaning if things were generally going well for your hero in the Fun and Games, things will start to generally get worse for them in the Bad Guys Close In and vice versa).

But in order to set up that shift, this beat often comes with (or leads to) a new or modified goal for your hero. And because the stakes are raised at the Midpoint, this is also where we often see goals being modified or increasing in intensity.

At the Midpoint of The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Avery is nearly shot in pursuit of her Act 2 goal (to solve the mystery behind why she was named sole inheritor of a stranger’s billion-dollar estate). Almost being shot immediately intensifies her goal of solving the mystery. If she doesn’t solve it soon, more attempts might be made on her life. While at the same time, a new goal is added to the mix: figure out who is trying to kill her.

3. After the All is Lost

Finally, the third place you’ll often see goals shift or change is after the All is Lost beat. Remember, the All is Lost is essentially another Catalyst that stops the story in its tracks and forces the hero to pivot yet again. And because goals are often lost at the All is Lost, naturally, you’ll see heroes reaching for new goals as a result (often at the Break into 3 beat).

Think about The Goldfinch by Donna Tart in which Theo’s goal, throughout most of the book, has been to protect and hide the painting he stole from the Met at the Catalyst. But at the All is Lost he discovers that the painting is gone. Suddenly, his goal to protect it is moot. After discovering where the painting might be, his goal changes at the Break into 3. It’s not about protecting the painting anymore, it’s about recovering it.

Similarly, in The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, Natasha’s goal of stopping her family from being deported is lost at the All is Lost. She’s definitely going back to Jamaica. So what happens to her goal? It shifts. Now it’s no longer about trying to stop the deportation, which she thought was the source of her pain, it’s about confronting the true source of her pain: her father and the mistakes he made to get them deported in the first place.

So those are three places where the goal of your story might naturally shift. But it’s important to note that these are just options. One (or more of these) might serve your story, or it might not.

It’s also worth noting that there are plenty of examples where the goal stays the same for the entire story, driving the story forward from start to finish. In these situations, in order to keep things fresh and interesting, we typically don’t see a shift in the goal itself, but rather in how the hero approaches it.

The Martian by Andy Weir is a perfect example. Mark Watney’s goal is always to get off that freakin’ planet. That doesn’t change from start to finish. What does change is how he goes about it given the variety of challenges and obstacles that are thrown at him, forcing him to re-think and re-strategize his goal. These new strategies end up creating smaller goals (which I call “spin off goals”) that help him accomplish his big goal.

if you’d like to dive deeper into goals, how they change, when they change, and all sorts of fun goal nuances, check out my Complete Novel Revision course where I show you how to analyze and optimize your own story goals to ensure they are making your story the very best it can be.

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Want to know what really goes on in my head when I’m writing a book? This video comes pretty close!

I hope you enjoy this “behind the scenes” peek at the making of my latest novel, Amelia Gray is Almost Okay!

And if you want to continue even further down the rabbit hole, scroll down to see how you can get a DELUXE beat sheet for the novel which includes a comprehensive breakdown of the entire writing and revising process (from first draft to finished draft!)

Get a Free DELUXE Beat Sheet for this book!

Get a behind the scenes of my latest novel with an exclusive DELUXE Beat Sheet which includes:

Full Save the Cat! Beat Sheet Comprehensive breakdown of the entire revision process (from first draft to final draft!)Wants and Needs AnalysisGenre breakdownSave the Cat! loglineBONUS: “Cracking the Midpoint” brainstorm session audio recording with transcript and commentary

Pre-Order AMELIA GRAY IS ALMOST OKAY (in any format) before March 28, 2023 and upload your proof of purchase to get the DELUXE Save the Cat! Beat Sheet!

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I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into the writing process!

Happy Writing!

Jessica

You Might Also Like:How I Came Up with the Perfect Title For My NovelHow to Create a Writing Routine that will Activate Your…The Most Organized Way to Revise a Novel (+ Free Revision…Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel: Sneak Peek and…How to Read Like a Writer (5 Tips)

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