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SAVE THE CAT! WRITES HORROR

Jamie Nash

"It's he-e-e-re". the most heart-pounding, jump-out-of-your-seat, scream-worthy book in the Save the Cat! series.
Veteran horror screenwriter and novelist Jamie Nash leads us into the shadows of Blake Snyder's legendary Monster in the House genreand sheds light over the secrets to crafting truly terrifying tales.

Save the Cat! Writes Horror is your guide to writing and delivering blood-chilling films and novels using the world's most successful storytelling method, including:

A deep dive into horror's core ingredientsMonster, House, and Sinwith subtypes, examples, and tools to help you design your own diabolical tale
The mad science of turning Save the Cat!'s 15 beats into a horror story that builds tension, sharpens scares, and leaves your audience squirming
How to balance Scares, Gross-outs, and Dread to torment your audience flawlessly
Why knowing your horror's heartbeatSlow Burn vs. Relentlesschanges everything
How to use the Dread-O-Meter to engineer spine-tingling scenes with precision
How to build memorable horror charactersfrom first-to-die victims to final girls and guyswhile exploring how their flaws, choices, and arcs mirror deeper fears and social truths
Plus: real case studies, scarecraft tools, career advice, and a comprehensive analysis of what makes the genre tick (and bleed)
Whether you're a screenwriter, novelist, or seasoned horrorhound, Save the Cat! Writes Horror will help you write the kind of story that lingers long after the lights go out.

SAVE THE CAT! is the world's #1 storytelling method, beginning with a screenwriting book that's been a bestseller for more than 15 years. The original Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need is a fast, funny and candid look inside the movie business used by screenwriters, directors, and studio execs across Hollywood, with more than 250,000 of the first book sold. Since then, the series has expanded to include books on film, television and books, and DGB represents most of the titles.
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Published 2025-09-09 by Save the Cat! Press

Comments

Jamie Nash has written yet another indispensable resource for the aspiring screenwriter. Save the Cat! Writes Horror is an extraordinary high-level overview of all the pieces necessary to make something great, memorable and, above all, terrifying.

quote Kyle Brett, Creative Executive (Film), Blumhouse Productions

Save the Cat! Writes Horror is not only Nash's love letter to his wheelhouse genre, but an astute examination of the cinematic things that go bump in the night. A first-rate book for film buffs, genre junkies, and anyone who grew up gnawing their knuckles in front of a late-night horror movie. This is a book that demands to be added to your collection.

quote Ronald Malfi, Author, Come with Me, Small Town Horror

Save the Cat! Writes Horror completely demystifies the horror screenwriting process by breaking down the genre to its elemental state and allowing the individual to build it back up in the image of their own subjective fears and desires.

quote Sean Keller, Writer, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Giallo, Rage Chelsea Stardust, Director, Satanic Panic, All That We Destroy; Producer, Into the Dark

A true gift for anyone looking to write a horror screenplay. Jamie Nash knows the genre inside and out and has broken down the tropes into forms and functions that are fully understandable, easy to implement, and utterly effective. All you need to add is your own creative inspiration, which this terrific book will spark.

quote Craig Perry, Producer, the American Pie and Final Destination franchises, Breaking In

Scary good! This book takes the dread out of writing horror and replaces it with tools that are not only practical but wildly inspiring. It's like having a co-writer who knows exactly how to unlock the fear in your story and the fun in your process. A must-have for horror fans and creators alike.

quote Eduardo Sánchez, Director/Co-Writer, The Blair Witch Project; Director, Exists, Lovely Molly, Hysteria!, Goosebumps, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series

You'll learn something about your craft from Save the Cat! Writes Horror. It's compulsively readable and full of smart, actionable advice whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out your horror career.

quote Adam Cesare, Author, Clown in a Cornfield and Influencer

This book is the writing partner that saves you from scrapping six months of work over one unnoticed misstep on page five. No rigid rules herejust the perfect gentle question asked at exactly the right time. It's wild that they're giving this away for the price of a book. Any serious horror writer should be willing to sell their soul for dark magic like this.

quote Daniel Stamm, Director, The Last Exorcism, Prey for the Devil, Them

The monster at the end of this book is the horror story you write after reading it.

quote Stephen Graham Jones, Author, The Only Good Indians, My Heart Is a Chainsaw

Jamie Nash is a certified horror nerd who brilliantly and effortlessly delivers a master class on horror. He expertly entertains and enlightens us while unpacking the core elements inside a terrific horror script, providing everything you need when you sit down to write.

quote Sheila Hanahan Taylor, Co-Founder, Practical Pictures.