An inciting incident is an event that sets the main character or characters on the journey that will occupy them throughout the narrative. It is the moment that forces the protagonist to act and sparks a meaningful story. The inciting incident is the first of the five commandments of storytelling and is crucial for a story arc. It is the moment when the plot begins, and it upsets the status quo, either in a positive or negative way, that culminates in the climax and denouement.
The inciting incident is usually set near the beginning of the story and is a ball of chaos that spins into the story and knocks the protagonists life out of balance. It can be both positive, such as a job opportunity in a performance story, or negative, such as a crime in a crime story. The inciting incident should be so big that the protagonist has to change the course of action they were following before to deal with it.
The inciting incident can appear in one of three places in the unit of story: at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end. It is the gateway to the action and leads from the world that was to the world that will be. The inciting incident is not necessarily the first thing that happens in the story, and it can be ambiguous to the reader at first.
Examples of inciting incidents include the death of a character, a job loss, a natural disaster, or a crime. The inciting incident is more than a desire or need, and it is not just a minor event. It is the moment that incites the protagonist towards a new course of action.
In summary, an inciting incident is a pivotal moment in a story that sets the plot in motion and forces the protagonist to act. It is a ball of chaos that upsets the status quo and leads to a new course of action. The inciting incident can appear in different places in the story and can be positive or negative.
