{"id":208003,"date":"2024-03-06T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-06T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.draft2digital.com\/blog\/?p=208003"},"modified":"2025-10-06T14:22:46","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T19:22:46","slug":"crafting-an-irresistible-inciting-incident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/crafting-an-irresistible-inciting-incident\/","title":{"rendered":"Crafting an Irresistible Inciting Incident"},"content":{"rendered":"

A book may begin on page one, but the real story starts when a key moment sets the plot in motion. This week, Polly Watt from Fictionary shares how to craft an inciting incident that will hook your readers.<\/em><\/p>\n

What is an Inciting Incident?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

At its most basic, an inciting incident is the event that incites your story.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s what triggers all the action, and subsequent reaction, comprising the body of your novel.<\/p>\n

At Fictionary, we give the following definition: The inciting incident is the moment your protagonist\u2019s world changes in a dramatic way, giving them a goal or motive they simply can\u2019t ignore<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The inciting incident introduces your protagonist\u2019s story goal<\/strong><\/a> – the thing they will work towards as the story develops, and which they\u2019ll either succeed or fail in obtaining at the story\u2019s climax.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s this interlacing of story goal, inciting incident and climax which gives overall cohesion and structure to your narrative. Without this, you may find that you don\u2019t have a story, but rather a chain of events – which aren\u2019t linking together quite as they should.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to understand what an inciting incident is, and how it should function within story structure, without a basic knowledge of the Story Arc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s examine this first, before taking a deep dive into how we craft irresistible inciting incidents.<\/p>\n

What is the Story Arc?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Story Arc is a way of visualizing story structure, using concepts that have been in play since ancient times. Stories are divided into three acts: set-up, confrontation, and resolution.<\/p>\n

The Story Arc looks at where key plot points happen along the narrative, and how your story\u2019s narrative compares to the \u2018ideal\u2019 story development.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a picture of how we show the Story Arc using Fictionary StoryTeller software, showing the ideal story arc against that of an example manuscript:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In order to understand the role of the inciting incident, you need to first visualize it in relation to all the other key plot points on the Story Arc.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the Story Arc for Stephanie Meyer\u2019s Twilight<\/em>:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As the image above shows, the Story Arc maps the following key plot points on the narrative progression:<\/p>\n

Inciting Incident:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This needs to come before the 15 percent mark, and it\u2019s when our protagonist\u2019s world changes in a dramatic way, giving them a goal or a motive they simply can\u2019t ignore.<\/p>\n

In this case, at the 10 percent mark of Twilight<\/em>, Edward saves Bella\u2019s life, and she can no longer ignore her fascination with him.<\/p>\n

Plot Point 1:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Plot Point One should be between the 20 and 30 percent mark in the story, with 25 percent being the ideal. Plot Point One is the point of no return. The protagonist can\u2019t back out of the central conflict; their desire to engage with it overrules all else. This marks the end of Act One.<\/p>\n

In Twilight,<\/em> Bella discovers Edward is a vampire, and there\u2019s no turning back to her past ignorance now.<\/p>\n

Story Middle:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In the middle of your story, the protagonist moves from reactionary to proactive in terms of how they approach their overall story goal. The Middle of your novel occurs between 45-55 percent of the story, ideally at 50 percent.<\/p>\n

In Twilight,<\/em> Bella sees the full extent of Edward\u2019s power as a vampire, yet commits to him anyway.<\/p>\n

Plot Point 2:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s the end of Act II and the outlook should be grim. Plot Point Two comes at the 70-80 percent mark\u2014ideally at 75 percent\u2014and should be a low point for the protagonist.<\/p>\n

In Twilight,<\/em> an evil vampire sets his sights on Bella, putting her life at risk.<\/p>\n

Climax:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The climax<\/a> comes at the 85-95 percent mark of the story, ideally at 90 percent. The story should build up to the climax with rising action, and now the climactic scene (or scenes) should have the highest level of conflict, the greatest tension, or the most devastating emotional upheaval. At this point in the story, the protagonist should fail or succeed in their overall story goal.<\/p>\n

In Twilight<\/em>, Bella faces down the evil vampire herself, refusing to call Edward to her aid, thus doing everything in her power to protect Edward. It\u2019s a reversal of what happened in the inciting incident.<\/p>\n

The Importance of Linking the Inciting Incident with the Climax<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As the above example shows, often the strongest, most successful stories feature a satisfying \u2018mirror image\u2019 between the climax and the inciting incident.<\/p>\n

In Twilight<\/em>, the inciting incident and the climax work as a perfect reflection of each other, with the former coming at 10 percent into the story, and the latter beginning at the narrative\u2019s last 10 percent. In the inciting incident, Edwards rescues Bella; in the climax, Bella does everything she can do to protect Edward by refusing to call on him to rescue her. He arrives anyway, and thus we see the inciting incident play out in a similar, but different, way at the climax.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s this difference between the two moments that illustrates the story\u2019s central theme. Bella is no longer willing to be the damsel in distress calling on her boyfriend to save her; Edward must realize the only way he can ensure her safety in the future is to give her equal strength to his own. Thus, we see Bella\u2019s learning journey from the entire story encapsulated within this difference between these two scenes. She\u2019s learned she can\u2019t protect those she loves without strength \u2013 both physical and psychological – and this learning plays out in the trilogy\u2019s next two novels.<\/p>\n

As a storyteller, it\u2019s important to remember the power this \u2018mirroring\u2019 can carry within story structure.<\/p>\n

The story goal<\/em> is introduced at the inciting incident<\/em> and answered at the climax<\/em>: the difference between the initial question and the final answer is how the reader subliminally imbibes the story\u2019s key messages.<\/p>\n

This mirroring is one way that you, as a writer, can show rather than tell the reader about your protagonist\u2019s learning journey over the course of the narrative.<\/p>\n

Examples of Inciting Incidents That Successfully Hooked Readers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Warning: Spoiler alerts!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen:<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s examine how Austen\u2019s inciting incident is irresistible to readers.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll analyze this by looking at how the inciting incident works within the context of the story\u2019s set-up at the first 10-15 percent, and how it interacts with the story\u2019s climax at the 90 percent mark.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Firstly, Pride and Prejudice is a romance, so the inciting incident should target the genre\u2019s ideal readers. These readers want to see two deserving characters overcome the odds to find happiness together.<\/p>\n

At the novel\u2019s 6 percent mark, Elizabeth and Darcy meet; Elizabeth overhears Darcy describing her in disparaging terms as he rejects the suggestion of dancing with her. This is arguably the novel\u2019s inciting incident, since all of the story\u2019s following action evolves from this one moment.<\/p>\n

This scene is mirrored exactly at the 94 percent mark, when Darcy and Elizabeth meet and reveal to each other their true feelings of love.<\/em><\/p>\n

Prior to Darcy and Elizabeth\u2019s first meeting, Elizabeth\u2019s mother has made the family\u2019s story goal clear: the girls need to get married. Ideally, their mother thinks, to a rich man. Therefore, at Darcy and Elizabeth\u2019s first meeting, we can see how Darcy\u2019s rejection of Elizabeth makes her story goal seem that much harder to obtain.<\/p>\n

When an inciting incident occurs prior to the 10-15 percent mark, it can still be helpful to examine what scene does<\/em> take place at this mark, for greater insight into how the narrative structure functions.<\/p>\n

At the 10 percent mark of Pride and Prejudice<\/em>, Darcy grows aware of his attraction to Elizabeth, commenting on her \u2018fine eyes\u2019 to his friends. This means by the 10 percent mark, the reader knows, either on a conscious or unconscious level, that the story arc is likely to answer the question of will Elizabeth and Darcy marry? And how will it happen?<\/em><\/p>\n

This scene is mirrored in the climax at the 90 percent mark, when Darcy\u2019s aunt, Lady Catherine, visits Elizabeth to warn her to stay away from Darcy, reminding us of the external obstacles in the way of the couple\u2019s potential happy ending.<\/em><\/p>\n

In between the 6 and 10 percent marks, Austen gives the reader the extra information they\u2019ll need to be fully hooked by the time they\u2019ve reached the 10 percent mark.<\/p>\n

For example, in this part of the narrative, Elizabeth clarifies her own<\/em> version of her story goal, taking it a step beyond that which her mother has for her: she wants to marry for love, not financial convenience.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth also tells us laughingly of her own inner failing\u2014pride\u2014which she uses to protect herself against Darcy\u2019s rejection of her.<\/p>\n

This means that by the time Darcy admits to his friends that he\u2019s attracted to Elizabeth at the 10 percent mark, Austen has fully developed the story\u2019s potential for external<\/strong> conflict<\/strong> and internal<\/strong> character<\/strong> growth<\/strong>\u2014and it\u2019s these two areas that really hook the reader in.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve enough information to comprehend that Darcy and Elizabeth will never marry unless a) she learns to overcome her hurt pride, and b) she believes they are a true love match, and c) he learns to overcome his prejudice against her.<\/p>\n

These are a lot of strong questions, asked by the story\u2019s 10 percent mark, which hook romance readers into turning the pages, all the way until the climax provides us with answers.<\/p>\n

Reacher: Killing Floor<\/em> by Lee Child<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This novel\u2019s a thriller: the inciting incident should entice readers through high, life-and-death stakes and promises of nail-biting action.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Here, the inciting incident happens on the first page: Jack Reacher, an ex-military cop, is falsely arrested for murder.<\/p>\n

This event sets him off on his story goal of catching the real killer.<\/p>\n

The high stakes<\/strong> alone make this inciting incident irresistible to readers. We know Reacher\u2019s innocent; we know Georgia has the death penalty. There isn\u2019t much more information Child needs to get across to us so that we\u2019ll care about the story\u2019s outcome.<\/p>\n

But once again, to understand how brilliantly crafted this story actually is, it helps to examine the inciting incident in conjunction with the scenes placed at the novel\u2019s 10 and 90 percent marks.<\/p>\n

At 10 percent, the police contact the man who, according to the evidence, really should<\/em> be their prime suspect: a Mr. Hubble. But Hubble\u2019s a settled, respectable guy; the police doubt he<\/em> committed the crime. Reacher, the drifter, seems to them a far likelier suspect.<\/p>\n

At the narrative\u2019s 90 percent mark – the story\u2019s climax and mirror image of the 10 percent mark – Reacher himself finally succeeds in tracking down the missing Hubble. This time, Hubble\u2019s fled for his life from the real killer, but he\u2019s the man with the key to unlock the murder mystery. Hubble\u2019s involvement in the crime came, we learn, from his desperate desire to retain the fa\u00e7ade of his settled, respectable life after losing his job.<\/p>\n

As in Twilight<\/em>, this mirror imaging of the first and final 10 percent illuminates the inner growth arc of the character. The key difference is that in Twilight<\/em>, the mirroring shows us Bella\u2019s growth. Whereas, in Reacher:<\/em> The Killing Floor<\/em>, the mirroring shows us the justification for Reacher\u2019s lack<\/em> of growth.<\/p>\n

Reacher\u2019s introduced to us as a loner: a man with nowhere to go, who jumped off the bus at a stop in Georgia because it reminded him of a story about a guitarist whose music he liked. By jumping off at this exact moment, he got unlucky, placing himself right at the scene of a crime he didn\u2019t see happen.<\/p>\n

As the inciting incident unfolds in the first chapter, we can\u2019t miss one of the key questions about Reacher: will this man ever choose to settle down? Will he be able to, if he wants to?<\/em> Right from the get-go, we see an urgent external need\u2014to prove himself innocent\u2014alongside the potential for internal growth\u2014can he find a home? The combination of external and internal goals<\/strong> works as another strong hook.<\/p>\n

As the narrative plays out, we see our protagonist Reacher crave connection and stability, yet he still rejects them in the end. And through the author\u2019s careful use of story structure, we can\u2019t help but understand why. After all, it was Hubble\u2019s need for external respectability, his desperation to keep his stable home and marriage, that became his downfall.<\/p>\n

Reacher, on the other hand, we understand, is above all that<\/em>. He\u2019s someone who\u2019ll drift from story to story, taking his keen sense of independence and justice wherever he goes.<\/p>\n

And his potential for future stories seems endless.<\/p>\n

Child\u2019s inciting incident, along with the narrative\u2019s first 10 percent, and the use of \u2018mirroring\u2019 within his story\u2019s structure, doesn\u2019t just introduce readers to one story. It introduces them to an entire series<\/em> of stories.<\/p>\n

Outlander<\/em> by Diana Gabaldon<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As a speculative historical action\/ romance crossover, to be irresistible to her target readers, Gabaldon\u2019s inciting incident must include both<\/em> high stakes<\/strong> of life-and-death action, and the will they\/ won\u2019t they get together<\/em> question<\/strong> of romance.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This inciting incident seems to occur at the 7 percent mark, when protagonist Claire, on a trip to a standing stone circle in the Scottish Highlands, accidentally falls through time and ends up in the 18th Century. This sets her off on her perceived story goal of getting back to her life and her husband in the 20th Centur<\/em>y.<\/p>\n

At the story\u2019s 10 percent mark, however, Claire becomes acquainted with the Highland rebel Jamie, the man with whom she will end up falling in love. Her true story goal, that of finding and keeping real love, is introduced here, at the 10-12 percent mark.<\/p>\n

These two scenes, at the 7 and 10 percent marks, work together beautifully to craft an utterly irresistible inciting incident for Gabaldon\u2019s target readers.<\/p>\n

By the time that Claire falls into the past at 7 percent, we\u2019ve seen that she barely knows her 20th-century husband Frank, since the two have been separated by the Second World War. There\u2019s a hint Frank may have been unfaithful to her over that time. Claire and Frank are desperately trying to get to reconnect as the story opens.<\/p>\n

But their attempts are strained. They\u2019re struggling to conceive, and Frank isn\u2019t happy with the prospect of adopting\u2014he doesn\u2019t want to share Claire with anyone, unless it\u2019s their own biological child, which gives us a hint that this relationship isn\u2019t as healthy and strong as Claire wishes it were.<\/p>\n

So, when Claire falls through time and meets Jamie, we understand why she\u2019s the right protagonist for this story<\/em>. By leaving her own world, she\u2019s given the chance to learn to exist as an independent woman, and then to form a love that\u2019s strong enough to survive battles and wars without fraying. And to have the choice<\/em> to decide whether Frank is her Mr. Right, or whether it\u2019s only a reluctance to break social expectations, which has kept her in her 20th Century marriage.<\/p>\n

By the time Claire gets to know Jamie at the story\u2019s 10 percent, we want to see both whether she can survive living in the past<\/em> (high action stakes) and whether Jamie will turn out to be the man for her<\/em> (the romance question).<\/p>\n

The 10 percent mark and the 90 percent mark of Outlander<\/em> also mirror each other beautifully.<\/p>\n

At 10 percent, Claire has a frightening encounter with Captain Randall and is rescued by Jamie and his gang (who were Randall\u2019s original targets.) Claire leaves with Jamie\u2019s group, and her wartime nursing skills are put to the test as she patches up a physically wounded Jamie.<\/p>\n

At the story\u2019s 90 percent, Claire rescues Jamie from imprisonment by Captain Randall\u2014Jamie having sacrificed himself to protect Claire. Claire spends the final 10 percent of the narrative helping Jamie recover psychologically from his trauma. She succeeds, and is thus able to help her 18th Century husband Jamie recover from trauma and reconnect with her\u2014in the way that she wasn\u2019t<\/em> able to help her 20th Century husband, Frank. This shows us that Jamie truly is the man for her.<\/p>\n

Conclusion: What can we take away from these three examples?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

These examples show that irresistible inciting incidents generally display certain features:<\/p>\n