Every story has to start somewhere. You can start with your protagonist waking up in the morning or looking at themselves in the mirror but the common wisdom is that you should go for something a bit flashier.
For most of us, that means we need to understand the inciting incident. In a post on the Write Practice blog, Joe Bunting defines the inciting incident, identifies different types of incidents, and provides examples of these events from popular movies.
This incident is a turning point, an unexpected event – good or bad – that upsets your character’s status quo and sets them on a journey. Usually, the inciting incident creates a problem your protagonist spends the rest of the novel trying to solve. It is usually the catalyst for evolution in their character. Looking backwards, your protagonist would identify this event as where everything started to change. These events happen early and are out of the protagonist’s control. They interrupt your hero’s life and require an immediate response.
There are multiple kinds of inciting incident, and which you choose may depend on the type of story you’re crafting. An action or fantasy novel may begin with your protagonist receiving a call to adventure or learning about the death of a loved one. A mystery novel starts with a crime, while a horror novel may start with your protagonist discovering something worse. A romance might start with a cute meeting or a betrayal of love.
