How to Craft an Inciting Incident for Your Novel or How to Kick Your Protagonist Into the Plot
Deep Dive on Four-Act Story Structure Part 2 of 10
In the last blog article, we discussed The Narrative Setup: establishing who the story is about and why we should care. Next up is the inciting incident, where the plot kicks into gear.
As with all things in writing, the inciting incident goes by many names: the catalyst, the call to adventure, the plot thrust, and the hook. Unfortunately, that last one is super confusing and not helpful!
What you call it isn’t important, but it is vital to understand what it does and that your story must have it.
The inciting incident is an event that hits your protagonist alongside the head and says, “Dude, so everything you thought was true... yeah, it’s not. Here’s what you are up against. Have fun now. Bye Bye.”
In short, it’s a big upset; your poor protagonist never saw it coming–most of the time. We say it launches the plot because it links to the core conflict of the book, and once the protagonist experiences the incident, the big story question is revealed or strongly hinted at.
For example: when Primrose Everdeen is selected as tribute, her sister Katniss volunteers to go in her place in The Hunger Games, and we instantly wonder if Katniss will survive. That’s the story question we are reading to answer: will she survive, and what will it take? It also introduces the main antagonistic force of the story, not always directly, but it’s there.
Because of our work in The Setup, we know who the story is about, what they believe about themselves and the world, and what they want externally/internally. The inciting incident is the event that launches them into the plot, where they will be forced to come to terms with their old beliefs and values to achieve their goal and answer the global story question.
Great inciting incidents challenge the protagonist externally and internally. For example, the internal conflict you established for them in the setup–the thing they only pay lip service to or believe they can’t have or accept—a significant inciting incident will pull on that and make the character suffer emotionally, foreshadowing the story’s theme.
Example: We see Katniss Everdeen sacrifice herself for her sister in the inciting incident of The Hunger Games, and then in the end, we see her sacrifice again to save herself and Peta. This speaks to the theme. Also, it shows that Katniss believes she cannot trust/depend on anyone but learns that survival requires trust and teamwork in the end.
Where does the Inciting Incident occur in a book?
Usually, it is between the 10-15% mark or midway through the first act (going off a 4-act story structure). It happens early, but like with everything else, there are exceptions.
Types of Inciting Incidents:
Causal: A deliberate choice is made by the protagonist or for the protagonists by someone else in a position of power that sets the plot in motion. Example: In Shrek, Lord Farquaad has evicted fairytale creatures, and they end up in Shrek’s swamp, so Shrek takes action to remove them.
Coincidental - This is random chance, being at the right or wrong place at the right time. Example: When by chance, Opal meets and befriends a stay dog in Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.
Ambiguous- We don’t know what caused the event that propels the protagonist into the plot. It could be causal or coincidental. Often, it’s revealed at the end of the story. You’ll see this in psychological thrillers. Example: In E. Lockheart’s We Were Liars, Cady Eastman returns to her family’s private island estate after a two-year absence with no memory of her last time there. We only learn what really happened in the end.
Examples of Inciting Incidents by genre and the overarching story values at stake, courtesy of The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne
Action/Adventure (including Westerns): a direct or indirect attack on the protagonist or what they value. Values: Life/Death
Crime- the crime is uncovered, and the victim is identified. Values: Justice/Injustice.
Horror- the first attack by the monster (seen or unseen) or first interaction with a creepy/mysterious object you shouldn’t play with, but you do anyway. Values: Life/Fate Worse Than Death
Performance- an opportunity presented to the protagonist. Values: Accomplishment/Failure.
Romance- the future lovers first meet Value: Love/Hate
Thriller- the crime is revealed/discovered usually by the future victim. Values: Life/Fate Worse Than Death.
War- an attack by the opposition Values: Victory/Defeat
Society- the current power structure is threatened. Values: Depends on the sub-genre.
Status- the social position of the protagonist is challenged. Values: Success/Failure.
Worldview- the worldview of the protagonist is challenged. Values: Maturity/Naivety.
Morality- the protagonist experiences a major upset/challenge to their value system. Values: Right/Wrong.
Key takeaways of the inciting incident
It is an event that forces the protagonist to do something different, to take action, and they may go kicking and screaming, bargaining or grieving, but they go forward. If they don’t, there’s no story.
It happens early in the story, usually about midway through the first act.
It introduces the story’s main antagonist and pits the protagonist against them.
It introduces the main story problem the protagonist will try to solve over the remainder of the book, and thus it always creates a new goal for the protagonist.
It is not something the protagonist can control.
It foreshadows the theme.
It provides the protagonist with more clarity, giving them a new goal and raises questions the reader expects the rest of the book to answer.
How do you craft an exciting and compelling incident?
Know your protagonist: what they value, their goals, what they fear, and the central conflict of the story. Then, you can throw a wrench in their plans and force them to engage in the cool, twisty plot you’re cooking up for them.
Next time, we will talk about how to make your character engage in the Second Act!
