Monday, July 5, 2010
Inciting My Fire
I had a mini-meltdown this weekend, part of which was due to watching a movie I’ve seen several times. The movie is Where The Heart Is based on the book of the same name by Billie Letts. I’ve never read the book, but since the book is usually better than anything Hollywood does with it, and Hollywood did something great with this one, it must be a damn good book.Essentially, a young woman finds herself pregnant, broke, and abandoned at an Oklahoma Wal-Mart. The moment she walks out of that store and realizes her boyfriend drove off without her, her life changes. It’s pretty much as bad as it could be. No money, no family, no home, and a baby on the way. This is what you call an awesome inciting incident.
My inciting incident? Not so awesome. Not even the first scene, really. This got me thinking about other inciting incidents. Mostly in the hopes of finding one more subtle so as to justify my own.
Unfortunately, this meant relying on my memory, and we all know how good that is. I’m calling pirate (or maybe parlay?) and asking you all to help me. Some of these I think I know, but several of them don’t happen at the beginning and most of them are debatable at best. So, here’s the list, you give me the inciting incident.
Sweet Home Alabama
Pride & Prejudice
Grease
When Harry Met Sally
French Kiss
Feel free to throw in your own choices. These are mine because I’m looking for something along the lines of my story. If you can think of one closer to yours, throw it out there and we’ll figure it out together.
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51 comments:
Ah, Bo'sun, I suck at this game! Can I buy a vowel?
*groan
Ah, Sweet Home Alabama? When the new guy proposes?
French Kiss? When she discovers he plans on staying in France and has fallen in love with a French girl.
And I'm not familiar enough with any of the other movies to say!
Now You've got me all paranoid about my inciting incident...
Chance - If you don't know these ones, then name your own movies. Things that remind you more of your book.
Hellie warned me no one would want to play along with this. LOL! I guess she was right.
Hey pirates -- I just woke up a little bit ago so I'm trying to get my brain working. (It's supposed to be 100 degrees today, so this may be as good as my brain gets. Yeesh.)
I haven't seen those movies for a while, so I can't remember the inciting incident. BUT, I don't think you should freak yourself out by comparing your book to someone else's. The incident you mention IS pretty spectacular, but it doesn't mean that ALL of them have to follow this pattern. In fact, sometimes the inciting incident doesn't SEEM like it's inciting anything, but it actually sets the story in motion.
Okay, let me get some iced coffee and I'll be right back!
Donna - It's supposed to be 100 here too! (And yet, my heater is on under my desk. LOL!)
See, I'm not looking to compare here. I just think recognizing the moment will help create them in the future. It's more of a study. And thankfully there are plenty out there that do not happen within the first scene. There are even romances where the real hero isn't revealed for some time.
Take Sweet Home Alabama. In the beginning she's with what's-his-name rich boy. We don't meet Jake until well into the first act. And though you could say rich boy's proposing is sort of the inciting incident, the real problem is Jake refusing to sign the papers. That's when the conflict really gets going.
Oh, I was just worried since you said you had a meltdown. :) (Of course with today's heat, we're bound to have one, right? LOL)
I'm thinking of my own "inciting incidents" now. In my historical, I guess it's when the hero and heroine meet, although at the time it doesn't appear to be anything but a one-time event, but it does set everything else in motion.
With the contemporary, well, the gunfire sets things in motion. LOL
A blog that offers food for thought, Ter! Great idea, but my brain works slowly in the morning.
I'd say the inciting incident of Pride and Prejudice occurs when Elizabeth Bennet overhears Fitzwilliam Darcy's comment at the assembly: "She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men."
Robert McKee says in Story that the inciting incident is "an event that radically upsets the balance of forces in the protagonist's life." I think generally it falls early in the story. My inciting incident is Dori's finding Max in her house. It's the second scene in the book.
Donna - I'm pretty sure gunfire trumps all. LOL! Without giving too much away, can you tell us why the H/H meeting in the historical is such a big deal? I'm just curious since we know so little about your historical stuff.
Janga - I thought that same thing for P&P. His prejudice sets off her pride and the fight is on. LOL!
My inciting incident is Nate returning to town. His presence messes with Emma simply because of history and her attraction to him. Then when she finds out he's going to be working at the school, she knows immediately life is about to get complicated.
Terri, I would be happy to talk about this historical! LOL I'm going to be finishing up some edits my agent just sent me yesterday, so it's on my mind. :) I haven't tried to keep it secret -- I just didn't want to bore you guys by talking about all my stuff (I do enough of it as it is!)
The hero is a highwayman, and the heroine is trying to escape a marriage she's being blackmailed into. He stops her carriage on the way to her betrothed's home, and before she can ask him to help her escape, she's whisked away. He has a secret identity she doesn't know -- and he is planning to use her in his revenge plot (which of course she doesn't know anything about).
So on the surface it doesn't seem like any big deal, this meeting (just a routine traffic stop! LOL), but it starts everything in motion.
Also, Terri, I remember the other day a scene where Nate shows up on Emma's doorstep -- would that be the inciting incident? Or is that later in the story? I thought it was earlier, and that's how she knew he was in town.
For me, the inciting incident in When Harry Met Sally was when they had sex. Which is odd since that happens so late in the movie. But until then, they don't really "see" each other.
Oh, a Highwayman! *claps hands excitedly* I haven't read one of those in ages. And of course he has a secret identity. All the good highwaymen do. LOL!
Yep, that scene where Nate shows up on her doorstep is the opening of the book. That's the first she learns that a) he's back and b) he's going to be working at the school.
Scape - That entire story is about their relationship from meeting to marrying, so I'd have to say them riding across the country together would be the inciting incident. But when they had sex, it totally ruined everything. Or appeared to. Very pivotal (can't spell that for some reason) turning point.
I'd say the inciting incident in Grease occurs when Sandy and Danny discover that they are both students at Rydell High. That's when the balance is disturbed and the conflict begins.
Is it just when they meet up again, or how he treats her in front of his friends? Huh. I think you're right, them meeting up again. Him being a jerk is just what makes things worse.
OMG it's too hoooooot. LOL I just spent way too long trying to put the A/C in the bedroom window, and those accordion flappy things aren't attached properly, so spent all kinds of time trying to fix that. Then it turns out the thing is tipped the wrong direction so water got everywhere. Sigh. So I took it out of the window and I'm just gonna have to die of heat stroke tonight. LOL
THIS is when writing seems so much easier than anything else I do!
I can sense the heat over there from the comments!
Perhaps people prefer the beach to pondering Terri's quiz on the Internet! :lol:
Roll out those lazy hazy crazy days of summer tra la la...!
I'm useless at this stuff but it occurs to me that a book or film may have several 'inciting moments' ie moments that dramatically change the action flow.
Of the top of my head, thinking of the film 'Working girl':
1) When Melanie Griffith tries to improve her job position she finds that the manager of 'Emerging Markets' is not interested in her brain but much more interested in her body. She storms angrily back to the office and posts insulting comments to the effect that her own manager who had recommended her for the job was a pimp.
This led to a change of position becoming secretary to Sigourney Weaver.
2) When her new boss is on a skiing holiday and breaks her leg, Melanie is in charge and discovers that Sigourney has pinched her great idea for a business merger, while telling her all along that it wouldn't work. This incenses her so much that she tries to launch the idea herself, convincing Harrison Ford that she is a high flying executive.
3) There are other critical moments but you will have to see it to really understand the plot dynamic.
Just making the point that some plots can be like a good Wimbledon tennis final between Borg and Mackenro ... full of twists and turns. 8)
Donna - You don't have central air? What the frick are you thinking???? And I don't care if it's only hot there two months out of the year. One MUST have A/C!
Q - Are you telling me to stuff it? Because that's what I'm reading into this. LOL!
Oh, did you watch that tie-break with Murray and Nadal? I was on the edge of my seat! And I was pulling for Murray. He put in a great effort.
Well, I guess this is another day down the drain. Huh.
I am an awesome anaylyzer...but not of books and book Turning Points... I mean some are obvious. When John Cusack meets the nut who has a map to where the spaceships are in 2012.... or is when the world starts to crack open? ...
Bolt! Maybe I can do this with Bolt? Yeah! It's when the new network exec says they need to leave the show with more of a cliffhanger and so when they finish the show that day Bolt thinks Penny is still in danger and escapes to try and find her!
Nah, that probably isn't right either...
I been reading about the heatwave...rum runners all around? Slushy ones?
OK, Bo'sun...what would be the inciting incident in Letters to Juliet? When she leaves the letter, 50 years earlier? No, that would be backstory, right? OK...when she finds the letter and decides to answer it?
When the Grandson gets all pissed at her for writing his dear old granny? When the search begins?
I warn you, I suck at this. But I'm trying!
LOL! And I appreciate the effort, Chance. And the frozen Rum Runner. I need to go roll the windows down in my car just a smidge. If I don't, it's going to be literally as hot as hell in there this afternoon.
Letters to Juliet, let me think. I think it's the moment she spots the letter in the wall. That letter starts everything rolling. You might be able to say her arrival in Verona is the inciting incident, but I think it's the letter. And the filmmaker does a nice job of establishing Sophia's normal world first. We see her relationship with her fiance is not perfect, that she'd rather do more for her career.
I like this as an example because it's a good example of how you don't have to start with the WHAM! factor.
Donna – You don’t have central air? What the frick are you thinking???? And I don’t care if it’s only hot there two months out of the year. One MUST have A/C!
I only WISH I had A/C -- but my next place, the one with cabana men and a full-time chef and housekeeper, will definitely have A/C. Oh, and there's gonna be a full-size replica of a pirate ship in the backyard, so we can continue to have our pirate parties. :)
Chance, I'm hankerin' for a mojito, so if you could get one of those oil-drum sized containers and stick a straw in that for me -- I would be one happy girl.
I haven't lived without A/C since 1993. LOL! Grant it, haven't lived above the Mason Dixon line since 1994, but these days, that line doesn't mean much when it comes to high temps.
See, Donna, another reason to move down here. ;)
Oh, good! No big wham, just little tremblers that life with fiance isn't perfect... I like that!
One barrel of mojitos coming up...
Yeah, I had a slushified margarita at the races. They also had rum runners, but I didn't see that booth until I had the margarita partially sucked down...
I think, like Janga said earlier, the inciting incident is the thing that "upsets the balance" in the protag's life. I think of it by looking at what they were PLANNING on doing with their life BEFORE this particular incident -- and then you look at how that changed the direction they were going. The other incidents are parts of the plot, the turning points, etc.
Of course, I probably have heat stroke and I'm babbling. LOL
Terri, I need to find someplace with neutral temps. LOL I froze my ass off here in the winter (which lasts way too long!) and now it's a bit too warm. My BFF invited me down to her air conditioned house, but I'm afraid it'll make it feel WORSE here when I have to come back! LOL
I need to quit whining and start writing!
Sorry, I've been at the doctor's office. They can't figure out what I have.
SHA: I'd say when the new guy proposes because she has to go home and get that divorce.
French Kiss: When her boyfriend calls from France to break up with her--because it gets her on the plane.
P&P: I assume when she overhears Darcy saying those crap things about her. That pretty much puts into effect her feelings about him from then on.
WHMS: No idea. It's a weird movie--it doesn't follow normal storytelling, I don't think. I guess when they take the ride to NY together is their inciting incident.
Ok I'm with 2nd Chance on this one. Inciting incidents must not be my thing. I always think of them as the one twist/plot point that gets them to finally realize their goal. Yes, my name is scapegoat and I am a newbie.
That's why those craft classes at nationals are calling my name.
And though you could say rich boy’s proposing is sort of the inciting incident, the real problem is Jake refusing to sign the papers. That’s when the conflict really gets going.
I'd still say the proposal is the inciting incident and the refusal to sign the papers is a turning point 1...or at least a refusal to the call of adventure.
Hellie, sorry the doctor can't fix what ails you. I hope they can figure it out soon.
Hellie - I see your point, the proposal incites the action. Him not signing the papers is the "things get worse" thing we talk about in this class.
Scape - I think you're thinking of the 3rd Turning Point. (Clearly, you can use any terminology that works for you, this is just what works for me.) The 3rd TP is kind of that last straw, the big thing that makes it impossible to go back and crappy to go forward and it looks like all is screwed.
In WHMS, literally screwed. :)
To add to it, I am all hot and cranky. If I have premature menopause, I'm going to be thoroughly pissed.
Hellie - That sucks that the docs don't have a clear answer. Goodness, what are we paying them for anyway?! I couldn't come to work and keep telling people "I don't know" and actually still get paid.
I think you guys are doing great with these. Movie inciting events, hmmm....
Finding Nemo... when Nemo gets kidnapped by the scuba diver.
Cars... when Lightning McQueen wrecks Radiator Springs and gets put in the slammer.
Toy Story... when Buzz arrives band takes Woody's spot.
Wall-E... when Eve arrives and finds the plant.
Anyone wanna guess the sort of movies I watch? :)
Marn! I'm sensing a theme here. *rubs chin*
Do you think maybe for Finding Nemo, we could say the inciting incident was the very beginning when his mother and all his siblings are killed? That really set up how his dad would over protect him. And the over protecting is what caused him to rebel and get out where the diver could get him.
I did what Donnaroo had to say....I think, like Janga said earlier, the inciting incident is the thing that “upsets the balance” in the protag’s life. I think of it by looking at what they were PLANNING on doing with their life BEFORE this particular incident — and then you look at how that changed the direction they were going. The other incidents are parts of the plot, the turning points, etc. Or is it what Janga said?
And this stuff about it needing to be in the first scene. Eh! Not sure I agree with that. I like a set up that gives me room to think I know what is going on, then blow me out of the water.
So, when did things change for my heroine, Miranda, in the book I'm revising with this bloody class?
My head hurts.
Oh, and...fog. We're surrounded by a nice cool misty fog. When do I pick all of you heatwavers up at the airport? ;-)
I could probably get on board with that Ter. :) What a cute movie.
You know, I read a Billie Lets book once... Shoot the Moon ... something like that. And I think I saw the movie with the girl stranded at WalMart...
Q – Are you telling me to stuff it? Because that’s what I’m reading into this. LOL!
Terri, I wouldn't ever dare do that!!
I haven't forgotten the time when I was going to say farewell on the EJ BB and you responded with "You just get that cute British ass back in here right now!" :lol:
I try to mind my Ps and Qs now. *grin*
The 'inciting incident' is in general not particularly well defined IMO. Multiple turning points are more common in stuff that I read and watch.
Oh, did you watch that tie-break with Murray and Nadal? I was on the edge of my seat! And I was pulling for Murray. He put in a great effort.
Yep I did watch, as did most of the nation over here! Was sorry that Rodick lost to Berdych though. I think that he could have really pushed Nadal in the final.
I think of inciting incidents as the call to action. You try to ignore it, of course, but then something usually happens right after that makes you go on.
Like in Sweet Home, assuming we agree that the proposal is the inciting incident, she was cool with keeping it under wraps and still not doing anything major to fix her situation. But then the media got a picture of her big rock engagement ring, her MIL to be makes a stink, and voila, she finds she's going to have to go home and get it done. She needs to fix her situation before her fiancee finds out about it.
Heck, my emails weren't coming through and now I'm behind.
Marn - Could watch it over and over. And have. LOL!
Chance - I'm not sure, I'd have to read more. :) But I'd guess when she realizes what this current mission entails.
Q - There are always mutliple turning points, at least if the story is any good. This is just the one that lights the match, so to speak. Many more to follow, but they'd all throw me over the side if I asked for that much participation. :)
Roddick can't seem to make it to the finals, though he has it in him. I still can't get over those serves. Murray was serving up to 131 mph! (How many Kilometers is that?!)
Did I really say that? I can imagine I did. And I was right, you can't be wondering off, you know.
Hellie - In this class, the first turning point is the "call to adventure" where the character has to make a choice. The inciting incident is usually less about anyone making a choice, and more about an "incident" happening that forces the choices down the road.
But, as Crusie often says, there are many roads to Oz. Whatever works for you is what you should stick with. For SHA, his proposal could be the inciting incident, then the engagement going public is the turning point that forces her to make a choice. And even then, she chooses not to be honest with the fiance, so she's not totally accepting the call until later.
You don't think her accepting the proposal when she knows she's still technically married isn't the inciting incident?
Blast. I killed the blog... Well, fine. All the more mojito for me!
Gimme that mojito! *slams it back* Aahhh! Just what I needed.
It was so freakin' hot, so I had to desert you wenches and go hang out in some air conditioning. I'm back now, and it's cooled down some (it's down to 90, from 100), so it feels just a little bit more bearable.
Maybe one more mojito will do the trick. . .
I've said three times the proposal IS the inciting incident? *checks keyboard* Am I typing in some other language?
When I got in my car after work, the temperature on my radio said 122 degrees. Once I got the A/C on max and running strong, it dropped back down to the more accurate reading of 101. *sigh* That was around 5pm, in case you're wondering. I don't even want to know what it was like at NOON.
And you're trying to convince me to move there because it's not as HOT? LOL
Of course, maybe it's because of all those Navy SEALS heating up the place. LOL
But we have A/C everywhere! It balances out...
I think you may be onto something with that theory. Wouldn't you like to come test it out. ;)
I weren't arguing with you... Yeah, the proposal, not the going public...the proposal changes everything...
I think.
Come to the coast...foggy day...misty, cool...
ugh it was 100+ around here today too. horrible.
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