How I Use Save the Cat! to Build Believable YA Characters & Strong Story Structure
If you’ve been hanging out with me on Bookish with Emma Jane for any amount of time, you already know I’m a bit of a craft-book addict. I will try any system, any formula, any method, sticky notes, color-coded calendars, whiteboards, writing prompts, you name it. But there’s one tool I keep coming back to again and again. One that has genuinely changed my writing, my confidence, and the way I understand storytelling.
And that tool is:
Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel by Jessica Brody.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: this book is pure gold for storytellers. Whether you’re outlining your very first novel or knee-deep in revisions for the tenth time, this guide has something that clicks. It takes complex storytelling theory and breaks it down into something so clear, so actionable, and honestly… so fun.
Today, I want to dive into exactly WHY this book has become my constant reference point, why it lives permanently on my desk (not my bookshelf, because I grab it too often to put away), and how it has helped me build more believable stories and stronger characters—especially in the young adult space.
Why Save the Cat!? Why Jessica Brody? Why THIS version?
There are a lot of writing craft books out there. Tons. And many of them are fantastic, but what makes Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel stand out is its clarity.
Jessica Brody takes the original Blake Snyder screenwriting method and adapts it specifically for YA fiction. YA has its own tone, pacing, emotional intensity, voice, and character development needs. It’s a genre that demands heart, but also momentum. It requires internal struggle and also high stakes. It thrives on relatable characters and unforgettable arcs.
Somehow, Brody captures all of that and gives writers a roadmap to navigate it.
She doesn’t just say “write better characters” or “raise the stakes.”
She shows you how to do it, why it works, and where it belongs in your story’s structure.
And she uses examples from well-known YA novels—including The Hunger Games—to break it all down.
Seeing Katniss and Peeta and District 12 laid out beat-by-beat?
YES PLEASE!
It’s like a masterclass in narrative structure using a story you already know.
The Power of the 15 Story Beats
At the heart of this book is the iconic 15-beat story structure, also known as the “beat sheet.”
I talk about this beat sheet like it’s my holy grail because… honestly, it kind of is.
Here are the beats (just summarized, don’t worry, I won’t do the full lecture):
Opening Image
Theme Stated
Set-Up
Catalyst
Debate
Break Into Act II
B Story
Fun and Games
Midpoint
Bad Guys Close In
All Is Lost
Dark Night of the Soul
Break Into Act III
Finale
Final Image
Brody not only explains each beat clearly, but she also tells you why it matters in YA.
For example…
The Debate Beat
This is where the protagonist hesitates, where they question whether they truly have what it takes to embark on the upcoming journey.
In YA, this beat often reflects the internal struggle of adolescence:
“Am I enough? Can I do this? What happens if I fail?”
When Brody broke down Katniss’s Debate Beat in The Hunger Games, I had one of those “OH!” moments. You know the ones—where the light bulb turns on so bright you can practically hear it.
Katniss doesn’t want to break into the Games. She doesn’t believe she can survive. She doesn’t trust the world she’s being forced into. But she goes anyway, and that brave-but-reluctant choice is CENTRAL to her character.
And that’s the thing—each beat reveals something about who your protagonist is, what they fear, and what they stand to lose. When you follow the beats with intention, your character automatically becomes more dynamic, more believable, and more compelling.
How This Structure Makes Characters More Believable
We all want to write characters who feel real. Characters who stay with readers long after they finish the last page. Characters who hurt, struggle, grow, fail, love, survive, and fight for what matters.
But believable characters don’t come from personality quizzes or aesthetic boards alone.
They come from how your character interacts with the story.
Jessica Brody emphasizes that character arc is tied directly to structure. Your hero must change, and that change unfolds beat by beat.
Here’s the genius of it:
The Catalyst introduces a disruption that challenges their identity.
The Debate reveals internal conflict and fear.
The Fun and Games shows who they become when thrown into a new world.
The Midpoint forces them to confront what’s really at stake.
The All Is Lost moment breaks them.
The Finale shows how they've rebuilt themselves.
Structure = transformation.
Transformation = believable character.
When I apply these beats to my own stories, whether it's my YA fantasy romance, my dystopian projects, or even my short stories, I immediately see where my protagonist is too passive, too stiff, too unchanging. And this gives me a clear path to fix it.
Why YA Writers Need Structure
(Even If You're a Discovery Writer!)
Listen… I know some writers break out in hives when they hear the word “outline.”
But even if you prefer to write by discovery (or what many lovingly call “pantsing”), this beat sheet is still incredibly helpful. You don’t have to plan every beat before you start writing. You can instead use it after you have a draft to identify:
Why your pacing feels off
Why your middle sags
Why your ending feels rushed
Where the emotional arc flatlines
Why readers might not be connecting with your protagonist
Why something “feels off,” even when you can’t pinpoint the issue
It becomes a diagnostic tool.
And the best part?
You don’t have to follow it perfectly. Jessica Brody makes that clear. The beats are a guide, not a cage.
But for me, someone who loves organization and someone who occasionally spirals into storytelling chaos, it gives me a framework to hold onto when the draft starts feeling like a tornado of half-finished ideas.
The Examples Bring Everything to Life
I’ve read a lot of writing craft books, and some are a little… well, theoretical. They explain a concept beautifully, but leave you wondering how to actually apply it.
Brody does the opposite. Every concept is paired with:
Clear YA examples
Beat-by-beat breakdowns
Diagrams
Practical exercises
Templates you can recreate
The Hunger Games analysis alone makes this book worth the price.
Seeing how a wildly successful YA novel is structured demystifies the process. You stop asking:
“How do authors DO this?”
And you start saying:
“Oh. I can do this too.”
Which, honestly, is such an empowering feeling.
How I Personally Use This Book in My Writing Life
I reference this book ALL. THE. TIME.
Here’s what that looks like for me:
1. When I start a new project
I sketch out a quick beat sheet, super rough, nothing fancy, to see if the story idea has legs.
2. When I'm stuck in the middle
I flip through the beat explanations and compare them to my draft. Usually, I discover my Midpoint is weak or my All Is Lost moment doesn’t hit emotionally, and then I fix it.
3. When I'm overwhelmed by plotting
I grab the chapter where she talks about concept, hero identity, and transformation. That section has saved me more times than I can count.
4. When I feel like something is off but can’t figure out what
Nine times out of ten, the beat sheet points out the problem.
5. When I revise
I literally map out each chapter in terms of beats, pacing, and character arc to make sure the story flows.
This book isn’t a one-time read.
It’s a reference guide.
A creative companion.
A lifeline when you’re knee-deep in the messy middle.
What Makes This Book a Good Fit for YA Writers Specifically
YA storytelling has its own rhythm. Its own tone. It’s own emotional range.
Jessica Brody nails what makes YA unique:
Teen protagonists deal with identity, belonging, and self-worth
Stakes are personal and emotional, not just world-ending
Voice matters—A LOT
Characters must feel real, flawed, honest, and relatable
The pace must be tight
The themes must resonate with readers who are still finding themselves
The Save the Cat! system helps you hit all of these YA essentials without forcing you into a formula that kills creativity.
It gives you structure without stealing your story’s soul.
Final Thoughts: Why This Book Has a Permanent Spot in My Toolbox
If I had to recommend one craft book to new writers, especially those writing YA, it would be this one.
It teaches:
Story structure
Character development
Story pacing
Theme execution
Plot escalation
Internal conflict
Narrative stakes
Emotional payoff
…and it does it in a way that’s entertaining, supportive, and practical.
I genuinely LOVE this book.
I genuinely USE this book.
And I genuinely believe it can help any YA writer bring their story to life.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, intimidated, or just unsure of whether your story “works,” I cannot recommend Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel enough.
It’s the perfect blend of inspiration, craft coaching, and structural clarity.
And honestly?
It just makes writing feel fun again.
If I piqued your interest at all and you would like to check out Jessica Brody’s novel for yourself, you can snag your very own copy right HERE!
As always, if you enjoyed this blog article and would like to check out more, you can always see what I am up to on my socials!
