The Dark Knight was released 10 years ago this week, and it was met with critical acclaim. It was gritty, realistic, dark, and primal. Why did it stand out among so many superhero movies, and even holds it own today?

In this week's Save the Cat podcast, I explore why, comparing it to another big-budget Bat-flick, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe got its start 10 years ago! Check out my story breakdown of the one that started it all... Iron Man, at the Save the Cat! web site.

The truth is out there! Check out my beat sheet on the Save the Cat web site for an amazing X-Files episode.

In my years teaching English Language Arts, I've had the amazing opportunity of infusing the screenwriting tools of Save the Cat!​ into my lessons, giving students a powerful view of how stories are woven together.

​I wrote an article on it that was accepted for publication by ​Something Better​, the Missouri National Education Association's quarterly magazine. You can check it out here!

Check out my blog on why The Greatest Showman ​has struck a chord with audiences!

From December 26 through 30, download and enjoy any (or all) of my novels for FREE on Kindle! Please remember to leave a review when you're done reading it!

Check out my latest blog about Stranger Things and why its storytelling is so captivating!

I'm often so busy writing that I tend to forget to share the blog posts I've written for Save the Cat!

Here are a few links to some of the recent ones:


E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Beat Sheet

Discovering Your Theme Through Genre: Part 1

Discovering Your Theme Through Genre: Part 2

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Beat Sheet

Borrowed Time Beat Sheet

Save the Cat! Goes to the Conferences

The Wizard of Oz Beat Sheet

Check out my Save the Cat! blog post on how writer/director James Gunn creates an effective sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy​ by focusing on character transformation.

Last week's Missouri Writer's Guild conference was a fantastic time of networking and learning.

​I was fortunate enough to speak to a group of dedicated authors intent on developing their craft. The session, which focused on the basics of the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet present in the bestselling ​Save the Cat!​ books on screenwriting, offered a look at the important structural moments that should be present in every story.

​For those excited to learn more about the tools and techniques of Save the Cat!​, a new online workshop has launched that allows writers to delve deep into their work while applying the teachings. It's certainly worth the investment, and it will help you bring your stories to life!