Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

“Advice like: ‘Follow your heart!’ and ‘Be true to your vision!’ is fine if you’re in therapy. Me? I really want to improve my odds.”

Throughout the book, there is a tension between art and commerce that manifests in the theme of Box Office Success Versus Art. However, from the start, Snyder makes clear his goal of teaching readers to write screenplays that will be a success in the mainstream movie market. To that end, he focuses on relatable heroes, understandable story types and motivations, and knowing the shorthand of Hollywood studios.

“[L]iking the person we go on a journey with is the single most important element in drawing us into the story.”

The reason that Snyder titled the book Save the Cat! is to highlight the importance of the Likability of the Hero. The protagonist, whether they’re an anti-hero or non-human, must be someone the audience will want to see win. Without that likability, Snyder argues, the audience may not care what happens to the hero.

“A logline is like the cover of a book; a good one makes you want to open it, right now, to find out what’s inside.”

The importance of a good logline is emphasized throughout the book. A logline should not only have a hook but also help someone “see” the rest of the movie, encompassing both the hero and conflict. Irony, Snyder notes, is important to revealing the conflict.