When crafting a fiction novel, the inciting incident is the first plot point in the story. It is important because it is when the protagonist’s journey begins, and therefore, so does the story itself. Here are six tips to keep in mind when crafting a powerful inciting incident.
- It Kickstarts the Plot
The inciting incident happens within the first 10 to 15 percent of the novel and is the reason why the story occurs. It’s the point where everything changes: Hagrid reveals Harry is a wizard. Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place as tribute. Elizabeth Bennet overhears Mr. Darcy insulting her. Then the subsequent events in the novel unfold in reaction to the inciting incident. Harry attends Hogwarts, becomes a wizard, and fights Voldemort. Katniss must train, win the Hunger Games, and defeat President Snow. Elizabeth develops a dislike for Mr. Darcy, rejects him when he declares his love for her, and then eventually falls in love with him. Without an inciting incident to kickstart the plot, the story cannot exist at all.
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- It Sets the Protagonist’s Character Arc Into Motion
The protagonist’s reaction to the inciting incident causes them to make decisions that influence not only the events of the novel but their character development. The protagonist goes on an emotional journey and changes from who they were at the beginning of the story. Before the inciting incident, Harry is just an orphan who lives in the cupboard under the stairs, ignored by his aunt and uncle. But ever since he learned he was a wizard, he gradually developed into a heroic figure who could defeat Voldemort. At the start of The Hunger Games series, Katniss is a young hunter trying to provide for her sister and mother. After she bravely volunteers to replace her sister in battle, she is able to win the Hunger Games, and eventually, becomes the Mockingjay—a symbol of rebellion against President Snow.
- It Disrupts the Status Quo
The opening pages of the novel usually introduce the protagonist, and their world, as they go about their daily life. We see who the protagonist is and how they fit into their world before everything changes. Suddenly, an event interrupts their daily life and changes their role in the world around them. Sometimes the protagonist faces a complication that conflicts with their role in their everyday life. For example, in Shadow and Bone, Alina Starkov is a cartographer whose status quo is disrupted when her oldest friend is attacked by a volcra and she unconsciously unlocks her powers as a Sun Summoner. Her previous role as a mapmaker for the First Army changes when she is whisked away to train in her new role as a Grisha, and eventually, a saint.
- It Creates a Sense of Urgency
When the protagonist’s everyday life suddenly changes, it often creates a sense urgency that propels the reader through the book. In City of Bones, Clary Fray’s life changes when her mother disappears and Clary is told that they both are Shadowhunters. This creates urgency as Clary tries to find her mother and uncover her blocked memories of the Shadow World. In Shadow and Bone, the urgency is palpable when the Darkling learns of Alina’s powers as the Sun Summoner and claims he wants to train her so that, together, they can defeat the terrifying region of darkness known as the Fold.
- It Makes the Reader Ask Questions
An effective inciting incident raises questions that will be answered later in the book. In City of Bones, readers might ask: Where did Clary’s mother disappear to, and why? Why is there a block in Clary’s memory? In The Hunger Games, readers might ask: How will Katniss survive? Does she have a chance at winning? If so, will she need to kill Peeta? The answers to these questions are strategically placed throughout the book, teasing the reader with false hints and delays in order to create tension, but always following through in the end.
- It Aligns with the Novel’s Central Theme
Since the inciting incident is how the story comes to be, it is very much the root of the story itself and sets the stage for the central theme. The novel’s central theme is sometimes, but not always, depicted in the title of the book. The inciting incident in Pride and Prejudice, for example, embodies the titular theme because it is Elizabeth’s prejudice toward Mr. Darcy’s perceived pride when he insults her that is the root of the story itself. On the other hand, Shadow and Bone coincides with Alina’s discovery that she is the sun summoner and the Darkling’s wish to train her: The “shadow” refers to the existence of light and darkness together, much like Alina and the Darkling as a team. “Bone,” on the other hand, foreshadows the Darkling’s true intentions beneath the surface—to control her power using the antlers of Morozova’s stag as an amplifier.
With these tools in your toolbelt, you now have the foundation to crafting a powerful inciting incident that integrates seamlessly into your story. Experiment with writing your own inciting incident by tailoring these tips to fit your own unique story.
