As an author, rejection comes in many forms. Mostly it comes from an unhappy editor or dissatisfied recently queried agent. They may say things such as the storyline was flat; the story suffers "saggy-middle syndrome," or the ending didn't have a satisfying climax; it ended too abruptly, etc. These remarks are devastating to hear. Sometimes, the rejection can become so disheartening that one wonders if they should just scrap the whole writing career dream and settle for less than what their heart wants. What a tragedy! These issues can easily be remedied by using a beat sheet.

What Is A Beat Sheet?

A beat sheet is a miraculous system that varies from one page to as many as twelve - maybe even more, depending on how detailed an outline you want to go. Drawing from the experience of screenwriters, the beat sheet can help you keep your story on track and prevent you, the writer, from going off on wild tangents that distract from the storyline. Expanding past the simple three-act structure, the beat sheet breaks down the story into smaller portions and helps the writer see just how many pages each action cue must be placed in. This gives the writer the ability to fully plan out each scene, knowing exactly what needs to happen within the scene and why.  

Can I Use A Beat Sheet If I Have Already Written My Book?

Yes! As a matter of fact some authors compare their outline to a beat sheet just to make sure that their pacing is good. 
 

The Importance of A Beat Sheet?

So why use a beat sheet? Often, inexperienced writers will spend countless hours creating a basic outline, profile their characters and then proceed to write what they hope will become a masterpiece. Sadly, their work is rejected for the reasons above. The beat sheet can prevent issues before they become issues. By having a clear plan as to how the story is going to unfold, and using the guidelines outlined on the beat sheet, the writer can prevent pacing issues, wandering around a point, and even character creation issues.

Where Can I Find A Beat Sheet?

I would suggest searching for a beat sheet calculator first, as creating a beat sheet requires a certain degree of math. If math is a strength for you, then just search for beat sheets. Many published authors have been kind enough to post their method of using a beat sheet on their websites for their chosen genre and are more than willing to share their successes.

There are also several excellent books that cover the beat sheet comprehensively. My favorite is The Story Structure Secret: Actions And Goals by Marshall Dotson. In Dotson's book, he breaks down several stories, both books and films, and gives the reader a comprehensive view of how to write a story using his Six Act Structure method. I found his six-act structure model to be time-saving and exciting.

Then there is the well-known book Save The Cat! by Blake Snyder. Many blogs I've read credit Snyder's book for showing authors how to apply screenwriting techniques to novel writing, though, I have found some controversy. Although I am very grateful for the genius who gave the noveling world this earth-shattering method, I feel that to argue from whence it came is a pointless waste of time, that could be better utilized writing. 

In conclusion, using a beat sheet can save an author countless hours of tears, rewriting and searching for issues, and possibly a load of rejection letters. 

https://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/

http://www.beatsheetcalculator.com/

http://sixactstructure.com/download-templates/