An aye-write Guide to Inciting Incidents!
Ah, the good old inciting incident. The proverbial snowball, the catalyst, the call to action, whatever you want to call it, the inciting incident has a simple function: to change the status quo
In other words, the inciting incident is what sets your story in motion. It’s an event that forces your main character(s) on the journey that will occupy them for the rest of the story. A status quo is essentially the “normal life” for your main character before things change.
Let’s consider some questions about the inciting incident. These were all things that I, at one point or another, struggled with when it came to writing.
Is the inciting incident the same as the hook?
Not generally! Exceptions exist of course - some inciting incidents technically happen before the book even starts, and some start as early as the first page, but generally they’re different things. The hook is your attention grabber, something that immediately engages you right at the beginning of the story, usually your first line or first paragraph.
The inciting incident isn’t usually what draws your reader into the novel, the inciting incident is the point where the reader decides not to put down your novel. Or as my partner says, the hook is what pulls you into the room, the inciting incident locks the door behind you.
Is the inciting incident done TO or done BY the protagonist?
Both happen, but external force is the most common kind of inciting incident: the mysterious letter arrives, the stranger appears, the murder is commited, the partner leaves suddenly, the job ends, the aliens descend, the King dies, the treasure is stolen, etc.
But as above, this isn’t always the case! Some inciting incidents are definitely character driven.
Must the inciting incident be a negative event?
Nope! As long as the event changes the status quo, it’s still an inciting incident! It can be as much a positive event - winning the lottery, achieving something, gaining superpowers, having a first kiss - as a negative one.
Does the inciting incident have to be a BIG event?
Not at all! Many people choose the inciting incident to be quite an eventful thing: Hagrid telling Harry he’s a wizard, Lucy discovering Narnia in the wardrobe, Katniss volunteering for the Hunger Games, etc., but this is not always the case. It will depend very much on the genre and tone of your story, but as long as your inciting incident signals change, it does not have to be a massive event.
Should the inciting incident happen in the first chapter?
Nope, it doesn’t have to! It can - but you’ve got lots of options! One thing worth keeping in mind, especially with short chapters, is that because an inciting incident deals with the change of status quo, doing it in chapter one can be tricky. A change may not mean as much if we aren’t invested in the characters.
So when SHOULD it happen?
There are two answers here! One short answer is that an inciting incident usually falls between 10-15% of the book. However, the longer answer is simply that… it depends! Genre, pacing, and tone will influence when your inciting incidents happen.
Benefits of Earlier Inciting Incidents
Quick immersion into the plot
Benefits of Later Inciting Incidents
Helps readers acclimatise to worlds (good for fantasy and sci-fi)
Helps us get to know characters more (good for multi POV/large casts)
A slow build up can build tension (good for suspense/horror)
As with everything in writing, there are traditions and expected conventions, and any deviation from the “norm” can be very effective! Remember every writing guideline can be broken or bent :) As long as your inciting incident signals a change in some way and propels your MC into action, you should be good no matter where you choose to place it!
So what should an inciting incident achieve?
Change the status quo
The inciting incident should signal change, upset something, unbalance something, propel a character into motion/action.
Create questions for the reader
The inciting incident should introduce the central problem of the story. What will happen to your characters because of this inciting incident? What adventures/mysteries will come to attention because of it?
Generate some sense of urgency
The inciting incident should introduce some jeopardy, some stakes, the ticking clock in response to the event. Remember – the inciting incident is the call to adventure, not the adventure itself. It is a signal that things are about to change.
Cool! Can It Do Anything Else?
Illustrate key aspects of character(s)
How your character reacts to the inciting event gives us an idea of their personality, their values, goals, strengths and weaknesses.
Set the tone for your story
You can use the inciting incident to indicate things like mood and atmosphere which you will follow up over the course of the story.
Inciting Incident and the Link to Story’s End
Another handy-dandy thing an inciting incident can do is refer forwards to the story’s end. Knowing how your story will end, climax or conclude is very important to an effective inciting incident, as the two must be related in some way.
Status Quo: Maria is in love with Lucille.
Inciting Incident: Maria believes Lucille is going to ask her out, but instead, she asks out Maria’s best friend - Emily. Maria now has to try to navigate her friendship with Emily - all the while still being in love with Lucille.
Story’s End: The conclusion of the character is signposted to us to be about all three of these characters, indicating perhaps a confrontation? Maybe a love triangle? Or perhaps a polyamory relationship? It could be anything - but the important thing to note is this: whatever interrupts our protagonist enough to change the status quo must keep a permanent impact. Don’t decieve your readers by making the inciting incident and ending unrelated.
Obviously, this is a very simplified explanation and storyline, but the essence remains the same. A strong inciting incident will be made all the stronger by knowing, and referring to, your climax/conclusion.
Inciting Incident Checklist
Does it change the status quo?
Does it generate questions?
Does it tell you anything about the characters?
Does it tell you anything about the tone of the story?
Does it tip its hat to the story’s conclusion?
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