Save the Cat! Writes for TV: The Last Book on Creating Binge-Worthy Content You'll Ever Need

Save the Cat!

by Jamie Nash

Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat!®, the world’s top-selling story method for filmmakers and novelists, introduces The Last Book on Creating Binge-Worthy Content You’ll Ever Need.

​Screenwriter Jamie Nash takes up Snyder’s torch to lay out a step-by-step approach using Blake’s principles so that both new and experienced writers can learn how to:

-Use all the nuances, tricks, and techniques of pilot-writing (The Opening Pitch, The Guided Tour, The Whiff of Change) with examples from today’s hottest series
-Discover the Super-Secret Keep It On The Downlow TV Pitch Template that combines all the critical points of your amazing TV series into one easy-to-read-over-lunch high-level document
-Define the 9 TV Franchise Types
-Crack your story using the Save the Cat! beat sheet
-Devise high-level series concepts with multi-season potential
-Map out and organize TV pilots and multi-season shows
-Break down the best and most diverse TV series using examples from Atlanta, Barry, Ozark, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, What We Do in the Shadows, Black-ish, The Mandalorian, Law and Order: SVU and more
-Create layered characters who are driven by complex internal struggles

It’s time for Save the Cat! Writes for TV to help you create your binge-worthy TV series!

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Research, Crafts, Film

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 30, 2021

About the author

.Jamie Nash is an author and screenwriter who writes fun and adventurous Middle Grade novels.

He's written kids movies like SANTA HUNTERS and TINY CHRISTMAS and scary movies NOT for kids like EXISTS and ALTERED.

Reviews

[Jeremy LaLonde · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who reads a lot of books on writing this one was a really helpful tool not only for organization but also just in terms of brainstorming. So many people think books like these zap creativity and make you write in a mold - I find they're the opposite - they inspire and energize me.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, Jamie is a friend of mine. That does not take away from the fact that he is a seasoned writer and gifted instructor.

I've read a lot of TV and screenwriting books. A LOT of books.

I already have a decent understanding of structure, story, theme. I've written a lot of scripts, especially shorts. But I've been struggling with my comedy pilot for quite some time. Jamie's guidance using the STC model was really helpful. The breakdowns of so many shows, including some very current one, really helped me dive deep into my own. I identified the missing elements and finished my outline.

With the help of a consultant, my writers group, and especially this book, I got straight back to my pilot, which will be ready for a table read in a few weeks.

I highly recommend this book!

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had more words but let’s just say I did A LOT of highlighting on my first read of this book. Just green highlighter everywhere. Can’t wait to reread it for my next writing project. Jamie wrote this in such an accessible style and he demystified so much about the industry and the writing process. Thank you, Jamie, and best to anyone who reads this, you’re in for a treat.

[Jack Reickel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty good, but not a strong entry into the series. If you have read Save the Cat itself, this book is largely not worth it. If you have never read any Save the Cat books, and are more interested in TV than movies, that's where it becomes relevant.

I could not *believe* how much they [re]used from Save the Cat--in terms of movies! This was writes for TV, but the first third of the book was almost entirely defined by movies and not TV. That was mind-blowing to me. So while I still recommend the series and StC system/approach, this book was unfortunately a disappointment on its own.

[Fernando Suarezserna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book I've read in the Save the Cat series (Original, Strikes Back, Novel, and TV). The bonus PDF that the audiobook includes is a piece of garbage, and the complete Beat Sheets included in the audiobook are hard to follow in audio-format and make the experience a bit sloppy.

That being said, I'm giving it 5 solid stars because it truly, truly added actionable stuff to my writing toolbox, most of it even applies for non-TV writing. I will definitely, without a doubt, recommend this book for anyone who's interested in producing/directing/writing for TV. As in all Save the Cat books, this one shows you the nuts and bolts of the craft, and a step-by-step approach to end up with a great product.

I'm not a novice writer anymore (I've written novels, non-fiction books, opinion pieces, Live TV, and did my PhD thesis on storytelling). I don't mean to brag about it, but to give credit to the author of this book for sharing so many golden nuggets for writing fiction, they're valuable to both novices and seasoned writers. I picked up this book while preparing to do Fiction TV for the first time, I thought "I'll give this one a read, just in case" and boy, I'm glad I did. Thanks Jamie Nash, I'm absolutely sure that my pilot will be way better crafted now.

If you're planning to write for TV: read this one before starting!

[Sarah Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful guide for those interested in writing for TV. It contains loads of practical advice, useful contemporary examples and plenty of writing exercises to help you on your way. A great reference book.

[Glenn Vandyka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jelas, ini buku yang bakal sangat membantu mu untuk mulai menulis Script untuk TV, bahkan bisa juga dipakai untuk kalian yang ingin menulis Script Film atau bahkan Novel, karena pada dasarnya cerita itu umumnya memiliki struktur yang sama.

Konsep Save The Cat! beat sheet disini sebenarnya hampir mirip juga dengan struktur cerita lain nya, misal Hero's Journey, atau mungkin Story Circle nya Dan Harmon, karena pada dasarnya semua struktur cerita mengikuti 3 Acts of Story. Tapi untuk buku ini, udah membantu gue untuk lebih membangun Script TV yang ingin saya buat, terutama dalam arah cerita scipt nya dan membangun karakter yang depth.

To be honest, kalian yang ingin beli buku untuk menulis cerita Film pun, bisa pake buku ini kok (kali aja kalian salah beli gara-gara ga liat judul nya ternyata utk TV). Sebenarnya, pembangunan konstruksi cerita TV itu erat banget sama Film, dan terbukti banget si penulisnya banyak ngasih referensi Film juga. Walaupun begitu, tetap saja ini spesialisasi nya untuk penulis Script TV lah dan jelas referensi TV sangat di fokuskan disini.

Buku nya juga Fun penulisannya! Jamie Nash, si penulis Save The Cat versi TV, juga gila ngakak banget woy cara nulisnya. Gue engagage terus sama celotehannya, gue kaga bosen jadinya. Yang bikin ngebosenin itu, kalo kalian belom nonton Series TV yang direferensiin, jadinya kalo engga skip ya kalian nonton dulu. Eh tapi tapi praktikal banget kok, jadi kalian bisa skip bagian yang ngebahas si Series nya, tapi ga akan miss something karena penjelasan konsepnya enak, bisa kalian terapin ke TV Series punya lu yang ada di otak lu sendiri.

Intinya ya, sehabis baca buku ini jadi makin paham dan ngerti soal fundamental dari cerita. Insight nya banyak banget, dimulai dari pembuatan Karakter, pembangunan Cerita, pembangunan konsep cerita, dan contoh-contohnya praktikal. Makin tau juga gimana nanti kondisi saat lu di writer's room (walaupun keknya di industri TV Indonesia belom bener2 terimplementasi dengan baik ya?). Dapet juga beberapa Insight tentang cara nge-pitch cerita lu ke perusahaan lain. Walaupun banyaknya nge mention perusahaan Amerika, tapi secara konsep cukup bisa diterapin ke Industri Indonesia. Tapi disisi positifnya, jadi ngerasa bisa nge-lead industri TV di Indonesia deh WKWKW (aamiinn).

[Lex’s Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if you’re not a screenwriter, you should read this. I think it’s beneficial for so many writers.

[REVIEW]

*Trigger/content warning in this book for a Harry Potter reference*

The Save the Cat! story structure has changed my life ever since I read Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody back in 2020. I read the original Save the Cat! screenwriting book two years later and found myself still learning things about the structure that I hadn’t realized before (even if Blake Snyder tended to sound incredibly pretentious). From the beats to the character arcs, I use Save the Cat! in every story I write now, whether it’s original or fanfiction.

I was intrigued by the TV version of Save the Cat because one of my fanfics is written in the form of a TV show. That’s really the only reason I picked this up. And yet, just like Snyder’s book, I still found myself taking notes and learning things that I could apply to in my own writing. I loved learning about how write a rooting resume, which basically helps writers figure out what will make their audiences root for their protagonists (although I think it can apply to side characters as well!). One thing that I took away that was less about plotting and character development was the why. WHY do you want to write your story and share it with the world? It shouldn’t be for fame or because the genre of the story is trending. There should be a deeper, more personal reasoning. While I don’t write for trends, this did make me think about why I’m writing the original story that I’ve been working on since I was sixteen. There’s a reason I’ve stuck out with for as long as I have, despite several huge revisions and moments of writer’s block. I hadn’t really thought about it until reading that part in the book.

I could go on and on about everything I learned and what else is in this book, but I’ll stop there. All in all, this book was incredibly informative and beneficial, and I recommend it to all writers, whether you’re writing a novel or screenplay.

[Vignesh Narayanan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Except for the beginning 30-40 odd pages, the rest of it is the same as the original Save the Cat. The Beat Sheet is applied based on the franchise type and length of the episodes.

Decent Read.

[Brandon Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably like you, I'm a writer, but I didn't know how to translate to television. Yes I had my idea, I had scenes, I had a story vision, but there were gaps. I printed off scripts from my favorite shows and tried to make mine professional. This show fills the holes, it gives you an easy to follow path, and no matter the genre or if you aren't a writer, it helps you adapt and shows you what you have to have. If you are a first timer or experienced I would HIGHLY recommend this book. Jamie Nash nailed it, he may have even gone too far above and beyond to explain things but anyone can follow this book. 4 out of 5 dentists can't agree on a toothpaste, but 5 out of 5 dentists would recommend this book.

Side note....it is my first e-book. I wanted to have it accessible on my phone to try. I WON'T be doing the e-book thing again. It's actually more of a hassle for me, and maybe I'm old school but it's not the same and there are too many distractions.

[Jason Prugar]

Everything you expect from the Save-the-Cat series, mixed in with practical advice and anecdotes from the author's journey. Well worth it for all writers in a visual medium.

[laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

“It’s time for Save the Cat! Writes for TV to help you create your binge-worthy TV series!”

I had to read this for a class where we’re writing our own TV shows, and it helped me understand the whole process much better.

The examples were helpful, but at one point, there were like 30 pages of them, which felt a bit excessive. After the first few, I felt like I got the point, and the rest just seemed unnecessary, though I’m sure others might find the extra examples useful.

The writing style wasn’t my favorite. It felt a bit hard to get through, but that could just be because I’m used to reading fiction. Even though it wasn’t exactly enjoyable to read, it was definitely educational and helpful.

[Zac McCray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where Blake Snyder’s book’s conversational writing style tiptoes on the line of too breezy, Nash steamrolls over the line into cringe territory. Lots of good advice in here for aspiring TV writers, but if I had to read the word “wonkier” one more time, I was going to kill the cat instead.

[chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book and useful tool per writing TV series.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Review

Such a truly valuable and informative read. The author does a great job of showcasing the skills and work that goes into television writing but incorporating his own unique voice and wit into the writing to make the reader feel connected to the information they are absorbing.

However, what really stands out is the information that the author bestows upon the readers, building upon the legacy of Blake Snyder’s work with an insight into modern-day television in the age of streaming services. The breakdown of the book into four sections of television writing, and focusing on building oneself up from a member of the writer’s room to a showrunner was a great foundation to lay for this book, and the educational yet relatable way the author writes to his audience really allowed this information to be absorbed greatly. I, as a writer, definitely felt the expertise that went into this book.

The Verdict

A memorable, thoughtful, and insightful book on television writing, author Jamie Nash’s “Save the Cat! Writes for TV” is a must-have book for any aspiring and established writers out there. While the book’s primary focus on television writing is truly amazing, I feel, as an author myself, that this book can easily translate and apply to all formats of writing, especially for those hoping to craft memorable, long-last series or arcs for multiple books, something I know I could use. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the original Save the Cat years ago. I found it useful, but not my favorite process book. But, I did incorporate elements from his process into mine. This one does a pretty good job translating story points into TV format, and it rehashes a lot of the previous book’s points on story. I will use it as a reference when trying to fix my fix my next pilot, but it had potential to be a much better book. What I want from a book like this that uses an existing story system to write a different format, is one book that analyzes all the story types side by side and highlights the differences in a comparable context, but it is not this book’s fault that it is not this, and I understand the marketing reasons not to prepare the information in the most useful way. My only negative note is that it looks like they skipped the copyedit. The book is full of technical errors, but that does not dilute its potential usefulness.

[Les Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best Of The Series Is About Writing A Series

I have enjoyed all of the Save The Cat books to date, but I think this one may be my favorite. It is about the big picture of linking multiple stories together to create satisfying arcs. While it focuses on television, it would be easy to apply the insights and story beats to other types of serialized entertainment, especially audio dramas and novels.

I enjoyed how the author drills down into series premise archetypes and walks through writing a series pilot, giving breakdowns of shows like The Good Place, The Mandalorian, Stranger Things, and What We Do In Shadows. The tone is light and, at times, humorous, but that does not make the knowledge shared somehow less valuable.

If I ever return to a media teaching position, I will be including this book as part of my curriculum. It has some great exercises that could be adapted for class activities to brainstorm or plot a series of student vids.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

While writing our pilot for THE RECORD SHOP, a sci-fi thriller (Knight Studios, 2026), my writing team and I were referred to this book, which greatly saved us the hassle of adapting Blake Snyder’s original book to a 1-hour episode format for our project.

Jamie takes writers through the entire process of writing for TV: choosing a format for the story; determining the destination platform and audience; creating a world; writing characters viewers will love (must have flaws, wants and needs); and what themes are important to you, the writer. Then Jamie gets into the nitty-gritty of applying Blake Snyder’s principles for structuring an episode.

If you’re a newish TV screenwriter, this book is a great resource. If you’re a fan of great TV series, the book will help you see why you love a certain story so much.

[Soquel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been my 'car book' for the last couple of months. Books like these with quick chapters that can be pondered without forgetting what came before are perfect for carpool lines, waiting rooms, and other times when you have just a few spare moments. I like Nash's style. He's funny and intelligent and offers practical tips and relatable examples. This book is easy to put into practice and is useful for authors creating a series of episodic books as well as screenwriters. I know I'll continue to get a lot from this book.

[Ashley Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My fiancée got me this book for Valentine’s Day and I’ve been immersed in it ever since. As a beginner television writer, I had no idea where to start when it came to making my ideas a reality, but Nash’s explanation of everything was easy to follow and really cleared up a lot of big questions for me! Everything from world building, character building, breaking season 1 and creating a killer pilot, this book has EVERYTHING. I feel so much more confident in my knowledge of the craft and beyond prepared to tackle my first show!

[Bob DeRosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great! I've always been a huge Save the Cat fan and this takes the movie-based system of story structure and seamlessly adapts it to the very complicated storytelling world of television. And I love the flexibility presented here: this is not a "do it this way or you're wrong" kind of book. The author acknowledges the complexity of television and gives you tools to tell your story the way that's best served for the medium you intend without compromising your voice. Really great work!

[Oriana Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, this book lives up to the hype, it is the best general tv screen writing book I’ve ever read (there’s one specifically for comedies which is amazing)

This book did provide knowledge and insight, and it was very helpful, but at times I found it too restrictive and too formulaic. I struggled to mesh my ideas into the given format which was slightly discouraging at times.

This book is a must read, especially when you remember:

You need to know the rules in order to break them

[Wojciechus Wroobellus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sympatyczna książka, w której jest sporo przydatnych porad scenopisarskich. Trudno mi jednak przywiązywać do nich dużą wagę zważywszy na to, że autor - patrząc po jego filmografii - nie jest bynajmniej wyjadaczem w biznesie filmowo-telewizyjnym. Podobny problem, co w oryginale czyli książce Blake’a Snydera. Tak to pewnie bywa z tym rodzajem literatury (i nauką pisania w ogóle), że zwykle jest tworzona przez ludzi, którzy w samym storytellingu nie odnieśli wielkich sukcesów. Stawiam, że giganci opowieści są za bardzo zajęci opowiadaniem, by chciało im się zakładać buty nauczycieli.
A dlaczego to w ogóle ważne, żeby osoba, która uczy pisania faktycznie potrafiła pisać? Można by powiedzieć, że pisanie i uczenie pisania to są trochę różne umiejętności. Niemniej opowiadanie historii to skomplikowana sprawa i każdy dochodzi do mistrzostwa swoimi sposobami. Nie ma jednej recepty i Jamie Nash oraz wspomniany Snyder wydają mi się lekko zaklinać rzeczywistość, gdy opowiadają o uniwersalnej formatce dla opowieści. Zawierzanie im w pełni to trochę oddawanie kontroli algorytmowi nad intymną materią noszonej w sercu opowieści.
Mimo wszystko jednak fajnie czasem przeczytać taką książkę, żeby wejść w formę dialogu z kimś kto ma doświadczenie w pisaniu scenariuszy.

[Michelle Cornish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just for screenwriters!

Super helpful information in here for structuring your story. Although the book is intended for screenwriters, all types of story writers will find the Save the Cat method to be a helpful guide for hitting key story elements. I especially loved the section on setting up a storyboard!

[Cat Girczyc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Save the Cat Writes for TV

I found this book interesting and very useful. I’ve sold 15 scripts over the years but I firmly believe that I can always improve my craft. This is another in the Blake Snyder inspired Save the Cat series. Worthwhile for tv writers with great examples and solid advice.

[Suzanne tye · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Good

I was in the midst of writing my first TV pilot and was floundering around - until I read this book. It helped me ask myself the necessary questions to really decide what my story was. And then it took flight and had been so fun to write.
Coupled with his online seminar (highly recommend!), I finished my pilot today and am excited about its potential. Thanks Jamie!

[Nicholas Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

The casual asides and irreverent quips of the author will either directly appeal to you or they'll annoy you (depending on your "voice"), so adjust maybe a star either way for that.

The actual theory and breaking existing shows and pilots down into the beats is top notch (as all Save the Cat theory seems to bear out)

[Jiliac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does the job: Adapt the save the cat method to TV. Mostly focused on the pilot because that's the part "selling" TV screenwriters. I also understood more about the main method, so that's nice. Very specific book, read if you think you need to.

[Andrea Churchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book. The most informative, most helpful source for writing a TV pilot I've read so far. The author takes you step by step, on how to go from creating an idea to writing the outline for the script and creating a pitch.

[Bill Daley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the series originally written by Blake Snyder, this continuation takes us into the world of TV writing. As a writer of movies, TV series and novels this book laid out the floor plan of helping get that TV pilot written and diving into a whole series.