Save the Cat: The 15-Beat Story Map

For the MVP, Writers Factory uses the classic “Save the Cat” 15-beat structure as a simple, default way to organize your story. You do not have to become a structure expert to use it; you just need a rough idea of what happens at each stage.

This is the structural backbone that powers the app’s Story Bible, Architect Mode, and Director Mode scene generation.

The 15 Beats in Plain Language

Here is the 15-beat map adapted for how Beat_Sheet.md works in Writers Factory:

1. Opening Image (0%)

A snapshot of your protagonist’s everyday world before change.

Shows what is broken or missing, often echoed at the very end.

2. Theme Stated (~5%)

Someone (often not the protagonist) casually states the story’s core question or lesson.

At this point, your protagonist is not ready to understand it.

3. Set-Up (1-10%)

Everyday life, key relationships, and the central problem are established.

By the end of this section, we clearly see what your protagonist wants and what is in the way.

4. Catalyst (~10%)

The “inciting incident” that knocks over the first domino.

A disruptive event that makes it impossible to go back to the old normal.

5. Debate (10-20%)

Your protagonist hesitates, argues with themselves, and considers backing out.

This is the last chance to refuse the journey before committing.

6. Break into Two (~20%)

A decisive choice launches Act II.

The protagonist crosses from the familiar world into the “upside‑down” world of the story.

7. B Story (~22%)

A secondary thread emerges—often a relationship, partnership, or internal journey.

This line usually carries the emotional or thematic heart of the story.

8. Fun and Games (20-50%)

The “promise of the premise”: the main situations readers came for.

The protagonist experiments, wins some, loses some, and learns the rules of this new world.

9. Midpoint (~50%)

A major event that changes the meaning of everything so far.

Often a false victory (things look great) or false defeat (things look terrible), paired with new, sharper stakes.

10. Bad Guys Close In (50-75%)

Internal flaws and external pressures squeeze the protagonist.

Allies wobble, antagonists strengthen, and the earlier “wins” start to unravel.

11. All Is Lost (~75%)

A clear low point where it seems the central goal has been lost.

Often paired with a symbolic “whiff of death” (of a dream, relationship, or actual life).

12. Dark Night of the Soul (75-80%)

Private reflection after the loss; the protagonist confronts their flaw and false beliefs.

This is where the earlier “theme stated” finally lands as hard-earned insight.

13. Break into Three (~80%)

Armed with new understanding, the protagonist chooses a different way forward.

Act III begins with a plan that integrates both external tactics and internal growth.

14. Finale (80-99%)

The story’s main problem is confronted and resolved.

The protagonist applies their new worldview to transform the world, the relationships, or themselves.

15. Final Image (100%)

A closing snapshot that contrasts with the Opening Image.

Shows the visible proof that something fundamental has changed.

How This Fits Writers Factory

For the MVP, your Beat_Sheet.md asks you to sketch a sentence or two for each of the 15 beats, along with approximate percentages (e.g., Catalyst around 10%, Midpoint around 50%). This gives the system a clear backbone without demanding complex outlining skills.

In Architect Mode

  • Uses these beats to align concept generation
  • Checks that you have a complete structural spine before passing the Gate to Voice Calibration
  • Generates your initial Beat_Sheet.md as part of Story Bible creation

In Director Mode

  • Individual scenes can be anchored to specific beats
  • Your “Fun and Games” scenes feel different from your “Dark Night of the Soul” scenes
  • The system provides beat-specific context and scaffolding for scene generation
  • Beat files live in Structure/Beats/01_Opening_Image.md through 15_Final_Image.md

Key Principles

Beats are Tags, Not Constraints: You don’t have to write exactly one scene per beat. You can:

  • Write multiple scenes for a single beat (especially long beats like “Fun and Games”)
  • Skip beats if your story doesn’t need them
  • Return to beats out of order during drafting

Structure Enables Freedom: Having this map doesn’t restrict your creativity—it gives you a safety net. You always know where you are in the story arc and what emotional/structural work needs to happen next.

Percentages are Guidelines: The percentages show where beats typically land in a well-paced story, but they’re flexible. A 100,000-word epic fantasy will hit beats differently than a tight 60,000-word thriller.

Why Save the Cat?

Among the many story structure frameworks (Hero’s Journey, Three-Act, Seven-Point, etc.), Save the Cat has three advantages for AI-assisted writing:

  1. Granular: 15 beats give the LLM more specific context than vague “rising action” labels
  2. Emotional: Each beat has a clear emotional/psychological function, not just plot mechanics
  3. Universal: Works across genres from romance to sci-fi to literary fiction

The Writers Factory cognitive system uses this structure as a shared language between you and the AI, ensuring that when you’re writing “Dark Night of the Soul,” the system understands you need introspection, not action.

Three-Act Mapping

For those familiar with traditional three-act structure:

Act Beats Percentage
Act I: Setup Opening Image through Break into Two 0-20%
Act II: Confrontation B Story through Break into Three 20-80%
Act III: Resolution Finale and Final Image 80-100%

The 15-beat system is essentially a more detailed map of the same territory, giving you clearer signposts along the journey.

Next Steps

Once you understand this structure:

  1. Story Bible Creation: The interview or NotebookLM research path will generate your initial beat sheet
  2. Beat Refinement: Review and adjust the beats to fit your specific story
  3. Voice Calibration: Your voice tournament will use beat context to generate authentic samples
  4. Director Mode: Start writing scenes anchored to specific beats

The structure is your compass, not your prison. Use it to orient yourself when you’re lost, but trust your instincts when you know where you’re going.