Save the Cat Breakdown Series - Part 7
Break Into Act Two
In the previous article, we explored the Save the Cat story beat of the Debate and how it is a reaction scene to the Catalyst. It is where the protagonist debates what to do about the events in the Catalyst, and maybe even tries to solve it in line with their fear and misbelief. In this article, we end Act 1 and delve into the Break Into Act Two story beat.
What is the Break Into Act Two?
The Break Into Act Two (or just the Break Into Two) is sometimes called the Point of No Return. It’s where something happens that forces your protagonist to act. No matter what, they can no longer return to the way things were. Either they rise to the challenge presented by the Catalyst, or a disaster happens that forces them to act. It typically occurs at around the 20% mark, or at about 16,000 words in an 80,000 word novel and is usually only one or two scenes.
In Star Wars: A New Hope, it’s when Luke returns to the farm to find it burned to the ground, his aunt and uncle killed. No matter what he may want, he can’t go back to that life and pretend that nothing happened. He must act.
The Break Into Act Two is a pivot point, or the first major plot point. This is where shit gets real. This is where the true story begins, so to speak.
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