on Fiction University:

Struggling to find where your story truly begins? Learn how to pinpoint the perfect place for your inciting incident.

The inciting incident (sometimes called the inciting event) is one of the most critical moments in any novel. It’s the point where something changes—where the protagonist’s normal world is disrupted and the core story begins. It kicks off the central conflict and gives readers a reason to keep turning pages.

But unlike major plot points like the midpoint or climax, the inciting incident doesn’t have a fixed place in a story’s structure, which can cause confusion—especially for newer writers.

You’ll find articles that say it should be on page one. Others claim it belongs at the 10% mark. Some swear by chapter three. And the truth is…they’re all right, depending on the novel.

However, these days, agents and editors are looking for the story to get started right away—sometimes by page ten.

Broadly speaking, the inciting incident belongs in the beginning of your novel—but “beginning” can cover a lot of ground. The ideal placement depends on your genre, your narrative style, and how much setup your story needs to function.

Let’s look at a few genre-specific examples: