In the Rule of Three, we talked about three-act structure and looked into some of the most important aspects of each act in a story. Let’s take a closer look at the first act of a story, the setup, where major characters are introduced in a unique setting and conflict serves to set things in motion.
Each of the aspect or part of an act works together to bring the writer’s vision to life. Think of it more as guidance as opposed to rules. Follow to closely and the story can feel rigid and formulaic (although formulaic stories can definitely still work). Ignore the guidance completely and the setup can leave readers confused or uninterested. I like to think of each part as a tool to punch up dramatic moments or fine tune details for optimal expression. This is why I prefer outlining so much. In a way, a rough outline is really just brainstorming ideas and organizing them to make a coherent story. It allows us to build it broadly and then focus on specific elements. Then just review, rinse and repeat—zoom in, zoom out—as above, so below.
We inherently know and understand that the story should serve to set up the main character of the story and the world that it loves in. We seen it over and over again, and likely practiced it without even noticing. This can be done in various ways through narrative exposition and carefully crafting scenes that cleverly express “show, don’t tell”, but most of all try not to info dump. Some stories can manage to do very little set up or hand holding, but this can be a bit tricky (the best examples would be any Studio Ghibli film—incredible worlds that the viewer just falls in the middle of).
Guidance for Exposition:
Coincide exposition with a character beat: Provide exposition to reveal plot-relevant information while simultaneously offering a character beat that engages the reader/viewer.
Build mystery: Best way to explain this would be to watch the Matrix, Get Out, or Constantine (I’m sure there’s more). These stories spend anywhere from 30-45 minutes building intrigue and tension to a moment where information can be represented. The explanation can be longer because the viewer at this point is nearly desperate for an explanation.
Make a visual “slideshow”: Raiders of the Lost Ark manages to give a very lengthy exposition drop but also still make it visually entertaining. The images guide us through past events and avoid “talking heads” that would end up being rather boring. In Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos uses the reality stone to show us what Titan looks like while giving background exposition.
Spread it out: If you’re working with a serialized medium, feel free to spread out the information especially as it relates to or even reflects the theme of the particular episode or issue. Avatar: The Last Airbender pulls this off quite well by giving background information of characters in later episodes of a season. I’ve noticed this particularly in TV shows around the penultimate episode of each season having crucial background information revealed just before the finale. This is a nod to “build mystery” as the viewer will be craving for more details that were teased earlier in the series.
The Inciting Incident
The inciting incident is an event that starts the story’s main plot. It serves as the catalyst for the plot and also represents the first tangible moment where the protagonist faces change, conflict or a major choice that disrupts their ordinary world.
One thing you’ll likely notice is that various writers or educators have different specific definitions for the inciting incident. Some writers argue about the exact moment that it should be placed, and others have created alternate names for events that coincide with the inciting incident. Some of these that I’ve seen are things like key event or the hook. I’m not here to tell you which one is correct or not; I’m here to suggest to cast a wide net for better understanding how stories can be written.
I like to think of these variations as all part of the same thing. They’re all elements of a multi-step process. The hook grabs the reader’s attention, provokes interest, and causes questions to be asked (usually placed very early in the story or even a flashback to a past event – could alternatively be a cold opening that is later clarified). In the best stories, this will end up being directly connected to the inciting incident that shows up throughout the first act and is integral to the overall conflict of the whole story. The first time the inciting incident is revealed the protagonist alerted that there is a completely alien world outside their own. As mentioned prior, this can be done with a direct change, introduction of a conflict, or a critical decision that the protagonist has to make. Next let’s practice ‘zoom in, zoom out’ to better understand this process.
As Above, So Below - Fractals in Storytelling
Below (First Act):
The inciting incident can be teased in some way, or something directly connected to it revealed in an early scene or a hook to entice the audience (early in the first act).
Then as the story is set up, we start to see how the protagonist gets caught up in this change or conflict that was teased (middle of the first act coinciding with the set up).
Then an incident occurs that raises the dramatic tension and also gives a revelation to the character—the real stakes of the story are introduced here. You can think of this as a crisis point for the first act (end of the first act).
Above (The Story):
An event that sets the story in motion and the protagonist gets directly involved in having to elicit change or critical decision i.e. Call to Adventure (around the end of the first act).
First Plot Point -> Turning Point -> Conflict in the “alien world” (events of the second act take place building to the next step).
The protagonist will be forced to make a decision on how to react to this and pursue a course of action that will cause a crisis i.e. Crisis Point (occurs at the end of Act 2)
Excerpt from John Yorke’s Into the Woods: How Stories Work and Why We Tell Them:
“If a story is ‘once upon a time something happened’, then the inciting incident is the something that kick-starts a story.”
This inciting incident is the “what” event in the story which will lead directly to the crisis point of the story (occurs just before the final act and known as the false climax among others). This is why it can be very important to outline later events in a story so that the events are related and coherent for the audience. If the “what” is a critical decision or change in the protagonist, the audience wants to see the cost or the cause of that choice. This will drive interest as a story goes on and provide an emotional connection with the viewer.
When writing comics, it’s important to consider the fractal nature of writing because it can help understand how the first act of a story is structured. The first issue can absolutely serve as Act One of the story and is the most obvious application for this medium. For longer stories, you’ll have a somewhat two-fold Act One (with something similarly found in serialized television). The first act will be contained in the first issue but then also as a whole in the first volume of the series.
Comic Book Application
Comics tend to run four to six issues in story arc (comparatively, American TV shows have roughly 8 - 12 episodes per season in the more recent series on streaming platforms). The first issue of that initial comic arc will work to establish the character, setting and the conflict in addition to getting the plot moving for the next few issues. Then the first story arc (let’s just say the first five issues as an example) will serve the longer format as Act One of the overall story. In a way, each issue can play the role as an act for a five-act structure (for this example), and then you could even plan for five volumes each story arc serving as a broader act for the whole story. This all will depend on the story and is very flexible, but we can see how understanding act structure can be very useful for planning a longer series.
The biggest piece of advice I could give for creating a great inciting incident is to do the research. Analyze stories, shows and movies and find great examples. You definitely find patterns with great examples but also, you’ll find really interesting variations in the writing process. There isn’t one way to set up a story, and methods for story writing are constantly changing. The first act of a story is very important for setting up important elements of the story but also building interest, tension and excitement for the viewer. I’d say, like most things it is a combination of science and art. We have a lot to learn from the classics, but you could be the next one that breaks the mold for the next generation of writers.
Feel free to share any resources on act structure or even chime in on elements of the writing process. There’s always more to learn and the basics are the best place to start. Have a great week and thank you for your support!
I’ll be on vacation for the remainder of June, but will resume regular newsletters with follow-ups to Writing & Comics and much more. You can share interest and reach me on IG & Twitter: @jubalthefool.