A few days ago I had to cut pages on the scene I was writing. It was going in the wrong direction. This realization happened late at night, a time that isn’t my creative peak. Instead of bleeding out more bad pages, I went to Writer Unboxed and saw Therese Walsh had posted a three-part interview with Blake Snyder, the author of Save the Cat.
I read this book a year ago, thought it was great, and blogged about it here. Therese’s interview is excellent, packed with insights, and I hope you’ll read it. That night I wrote this down from Part 1 of the interview:
I tell students, the story you’re telling me is the most important thing that ever happened to the hero of your story.
After I turned off the computer, I asked myself what was the most important thing in my character’s life. Immediately I knew. With another leap, I knew the most important need in my character’s life, and I knew her scene goal and how to write it. This was the character’s real goal. Not the one I’d written on her character sheet, but her primal goal, coming from her heart and her gut instead of her brain.
I’d like to take credit for the “primal” comment, but it comes from Snyder’s book and Therese’s question:
TW: Some stories are more primal than others, in my opinion. Is this related to how well movies sell? Are some movies more highly sought after than others because of how they tap into that base humanity?
Snyder agrees and gives the first Diehard movie as an example:
It’s about an average street cop who’s lost his wife to the sophistication of expense accounts and gulf-stream jets, who gets her back. Now, that sends chills through me because it’s a story I understand. You’ve lost your love and now you want her back.
The primal emotion in my story is the heroine’s need to protect someone vulnerable and dependent on her. In my last book, a character’s primal need was her desire to have a baby.
Part 2 and Part 3 gave me even more insights. Part 3 helped me write loglines for my last book, my current book, and my next book.
I’d love to hear if you have a primal need in your story. What does your character want more than anything?
That’s an excellent way to look at it. Cuts right to the heart this way, and that’s what readers want–to feel the characters’ hearts beat and bleed and fight through it all to love.
Jan, I just hope I’ll remember to do this on my next book. Knowing the primal need is going to make a difference as I write the book.
I’m thrilled people got so much from the interview. Thanks, Edie.
In my story, the primal is that a woman wants to set things right with her brain-dead twin.
Therese, you have the best interviews!
That’s a great primal! From that one line, I’m already rooting for her.
My characters’ primal need is a multitude of readers.
Jody, are you your own character?
It sounds good to me.
Edie, you need to stop sending me to interesting places on the web.
I like the term primal need. I think all of our characters have both an external and internal goal, but Primal cuts right to the heart of things. Great post!
A friend introduced me to SAVE THE CAT in January and it complete changed how I conceptualize by books. Once I started looking at the character’s PRIMAL needs, my stories became stronger.
Thanks for posting about the interview.
Wow, Edie, I must buy this book! Primal Need sounds exactly how the process feels. Deep plunge, grabbing the soul of the story! Doesn’t get any better than that!
I have to get this book now, Edie. It sounds really excellent. And I’m for anything that cuts to the heart of the matter.
For me to finish the book.
In my WIP, my main character has had a long life of service and dedication. Now she’s tired and just wants peace. Something that isn’t going to happen for her. Sometimes the primal need is something subtle and simple. It’s how you prevent that person from achieving that goal is what can make the story. IMO.
primal is one of my favorite words. my heroine’s primal need in my current wip Naughty Santa is simple; she wants someone to love her enough not to dump her when a better deal comes along.
Shari, I’ll try not to send you places.
This interview is well worth it. I’d like all my writer friends to read it.
Amy, another Blake Snyder fan! That primal need just pulls it all together, doesn’t it? A great, great writer’s tool. And all the characters should have one. If she/he doesn’t, the book is in trouble.
LaDonna, I knew you’d get it right away. With that title, I’m surprised Liz hasn’t gotten the book.
Michelle, I think you’ll learn something from the book. A lot of it pertains to movies, which isn’t always the same as books. According to Snyder — and Michael Hauge and Chris Vogler — things happen in beats in movies. A formula. Books don’t have the formula. But it’s all interesting.
Liz, “peace” is a great primal need! And it’s true that preventing the character from achieving it is what fuels our plot. That’s something Snyder didn’t say, but you’re so right! Your character’s primal goal is peace, and your primal author goal is to throw obstacles in her way. This is another epiphany!
Karin, I think your books are as primal as they can get.
The need for a trustworthy mate is primal for men and women.
Primal needs…love that. Edie, I can always count on you to give me something to ponder! Right now, my hero’s primal need is to stop the demon hunter who is killing off his kind.
Cindy, saving lives is as primal as you can get. I just saw on the news a story about a Navy Seal who threw himself on a bomb and saved his team (or unit, or whatever). He could have ran and saved himself, but he purposely did this, knowing he would die. (I’m tearing up writing this.)
I am not currently here. I’m really off doing my taxes. But this is brilliant! I love the interview, and I need to think about the primal need just right now as I start my next WIP.
Thanks, Edie!
Spy, I’ll pretend I didn’t see this, because you’re not here.
I’m glad I brought this to your notice. I’m glad Therese brought it to my notice again. I think the last time I read Save the Cat, it was something else that impressed me. I guess we see what we need to know at the moment.