Good Article about the perils of formulaic structure

A warning for anyone tempted to follow the dreadful "Save the Cat" formula.
(We've all been there)

https://reprobatepress.com/2021/07/18/kill-the-cat-the-awful-influence-of-the-worlds-worst-writing-guide/?fbclid=IwAR1-e3I7NRefxTzrCG4de6khDD2_Vg_B6EPPfQeaJdohJYoiOPcLyIPEA6c

Good article, thanks, Lazzard.

I've never heard of the guy or their book, but I recognise the cat-salvation technique.

I hate it - the trouble is SO many commissioning-types know it backwards (along with a couple of other old favourites).
You need to know the language just so you can defend your writing.

Genuine snort at "Snyder evidently believes that all movie audiences are intellectually challenged bumpkins who sit in theatres scratching their heads and get confused over which hole the popcorn goes in".

I never bother with these things cos I'm gonna keep writing the same shit anyway.

Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 22nd July 2021, 9:06 AM

I never bother with these things cos I'm gonna keep writing the same shit anyway.

This book would make your shit shittier.

Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 22nd July 2021, 9:06 AM

I never bother with these things cos I'm gonna keep writing the same shit anyway.

My ethos is, if I'm going to write shit, I'll write my own shit, not somebody else's :)

Loads of Hollywood action films start with the hero foiling a robbery in a convenience store, same idea.

Loads of American sitcoms start with the theme tune and an external shot. Hack.

I've now decided that if I ever write a film script the main character will accidentally kill a cat in the first 5 minutes.

I stopped reading after the 8864364th 'He's so aweeesssoommmmmee' sphincter-lick. How f**king sycophantic can you get?
He's right, though Every single Bergman movie starts with the hero saving a moggie - from 'Summer With Monica' through 'Cries and Whispers' to 'The Blessed Ones'. Now that he points it out, it is getting a tad repetitive. This guy's like Michael Moore, who discovered that America's corrupt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There's no stopping some genii.
And thank f**k no one made the pussy joke.

Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 27th July 2021, 12:22 PM

And thank f**k no one made the pussy joke.

Making a pussy joke on here would be like Barking yourself when you have just bought a Corbett (i.e. the bread of dog). Why did he write a book, it would have made more sense to make a video about making movies. Schindler list spent over 3 hours on the good deed bit. Maybe just avoid cats ?

Finally worked out how to stop my cat running away. Nailed it.
People can read 653 bukes like this. They're still gonna write shit