A useful analysis of what works in stories with practical examples of how to apply principles to a book-in-progress. Inspired by the book Save the Cat! for screenwriting, Brody breaks down the elements of a satisfying story and adapts them specifically for books. The first part explains these in “beats” like the Theme Stated or All Is Lost moments, helpfully explaining how these can apply to a variety of stories. The bulk of the book is devoted to 10 story genres (different from marketing genres) like Dude With A Problem or Golden Fleece. These chapters share other elements unique to each genre while also charting a specific novel’s story to the beats as an example of how they work in practice. Brody does a good job of focusing on recognizable principles for this method rather than prescribing specific plot lines (unless she’s analyzing a specific book). Recommended for writers who feel stuck working through the arc of their story and want a dose of inspiration for troubleshooting it.