Save

Save

Paula Wynne's picture
Paula Wynne

Pinned 6 years 5 months ago onto Writing Advice

When Is The Inciting Incident In A Story Plot

Source: https://narrativefirst.com/articles/plot-points-and-the-inciting-incident

Ever get confused about Plot Points and the Inciting Incident? Or understanding when the problem of the story starts sets an author straight.

For new writers or writing flying by the seat of the pants (Pantser versus Plotter) plot points are difficult to pick out, especially when there is confusion as to the purpose of such a device in a story. If one accepts the idea that stories are about solving problems, the reason for Inciting Incidents and Act Turns becomes all too clear.

Every problem has its own genesis, a moment at which the balance is tipped and the previous sense of oneness is lost. With separation comes the awareness of an inequity, and a desire to return back to a state of parity. Every problem has a solution, and a story explores that process of trying to attain resolution.

In a story, this Opening Event—or beginning of a story—is commonly referred to as the Inciting Incident.

The Exciting Incident > The Inciting Incident (or “exciting incident” as someone once referred to it) is the event or decision that begins a story’s problem. Everything up and until that moment is Backstory; everything after is “the story.” Before this moment there is an equilibrium, a relative peace that the characters in a story have grown accustomed to. This incisive moment, or plot point occurs and upsets the balance of things. Suddenly there is a problem to be solved.

Read the full article here: https://narrativefirst.com/articles/plot-points-and-the-inciting-incident

Upvote this Pin: 
0

Log in to vote
Pinned onto the category

Writing Advice

What Is Story Theme?3 Acts to Your Story Structure5 Rules Every First-Time Author Needs To Know About Planning A NovelWrite Villains Readers Love to HateWriting A Suspense Conspiracy ThrillerOnline Etymology Dictionary For Historical Fiction WritersStructure Your NovelWriting A Psychological ThrillerBest Visual Verbs For WritersStory Structure Humour
Psychological Thriller Checklist For Writers
Originally pinned by

Paula Wynne

How To Create A Logline
A~Z Writers’ Character Quirks
Writing Thrillers To Scare The Pants Off Your Readers
The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century
Sage Is Your Dictionary Mentor
The Negative Trait Thesaurus
Pinned onto the board

Writing Advice

The First Complete History Of Mobile Phones For Writers
Uniting Story Structure and Character Arc
Breaking Down Story Structure
Free Writing Resources
Psychological Thrillers That Will Mess With Your Head
Decide Your Novel Length
Scroll to top