When it comes to storytelling, if a reader isn’t engaged within the first 20 or 30 pages, you run the risk of losing their attention and having them move on to something else.
So, what happens in the opening pages of your novel or memoir that captures your reader’s attention?
You may have heard it referred to as “the call to adventure,” “the catalyst,” “the hook,” or even the “meet cute,” today we are going to refer to it by its technical name: the Inciting Incident.
This is where Harry Potter learns he’s a wizard or Katniss Everdeen volunteers as tribute. It’s the moment in the story where your reader understands what the story is about.
In this article, I am going to explain to you what an inciting incident is, and offer some examples from contemporary fiction and film, and finally, I will give you a couple of secret weapons on how to write a compelling inciting incident that will keep your reader engrossed.
What is an Inciting Incident?
The inciting incident is the event or decision in the story that sets the main character(s) and plot into motion.
Before this event, life was normal. The status quo was being upheld and the protagonist accepted life as it was, even if they didn’t enjoy it. Then the inciting incident occurs and all the sudden the protagonist’s world is thrown off balance.
These incidents always have consequences that begin to shape the plot in a certain direction. Usually, it starts a ticking clock of sorts to create urgency that moves the story forward and propels the protagonist into action.
The purpose of an inciting incident is to launch the story into motion. It’s important as it creates the stakes that begin the build of tension and introduces the reader to the dilemma that will carry throughout the story.
Types of Inciting Incidents
Inciting incidents tend to fall into one of three categories:
Casual – This is when the changing event is triggered by a deliberate choice made by or about the protagonist. A murder being committed, a spouse leaving their partner, a decision to take a trip. These are all examples of casual inciting incidents as they only occurred due to a character in the story taking a step in an intentional direction.
Coincidental – This incident occurs by random chance. It is an unexpected or accident event in which the character was just in the right place at the right time. In the Martian, there is a storm on Mars that results in Mark Watney going missing. The “meet-cute” trope in romance novels are typically an example of the coincidental inciting incident as the two main characters happen to meet each other in some random manner.
Ambiguous – While less common or trickier to place, the ambiguous inciting incident happens under circumstances that are not fully explained or understood. This is common in mystery or thriller genres when the readers are meant to keep guessing whether the protagonist is in their situation by choice or circumstance. The truth is usually revealed at the end of the story which then allows us to slot it under casual or coincidental.
Writing Inciting Incidents
In order to write a compelling inciting incident that will keep your readers engaged, it needs to happen relatively early in the story. Or it at least needs to be clear that the incident is coming and something is about to shift.
An incident can be
Immediate – beginning the story in the thick of the action
Delayed – The more traditional approach, occurring in the first few chapters
Or “Off-page” – A method used in nonlinear timeline literature where the story begins in the middle of the plot.
No matter where you place your incident in the story, be sure that it is clear and stimulating. It needs to be a big enough shift in your protagonist’s life that there is urgency to take action and tension that can be maintained throughout the story.
It is good to not reveal all implications the incident has right off the bat. Your character should experience an element of incomprehension. The incident needs to be bigger than the character, enough to move them into action but not too much so they already know what their journey will result in. This creates questions both within your protagonist but also in your readers that encourage them to continue reading.
In order to write a good incident, you need to understand what would cause your character to move. By exploring your character’s core dilemma, a more dynamic incident will arise naturally.
Having trouble connecting to your characters or coming up with an engaging inciting incident?
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