r/RomanceWriters • u/LoversLoreWriter • 2d ago

Inciting incident

Hey folks-

Ok very new to writing and yes I know I really need to read more. However, I really need to write at the moment. So please be kind.

Not the real story (weirdly got the feeling someone was trying to steal my idea even tho it’s not that great) but let’s say MC1 and MC2 broke up years ago because MC1 is poor and didn’t feel good enough for MC2.

The inciting incident for MC1 is they get promoted and go on the quest.

Can the inciting incident for MC2 is that they see the news broadcast about MC1 getting promoted and is excited that they with be on the same quest as them?

Or is MC2 story now too revolved around MC1 that they don’t feel like they have their own story too?

Sorry if it’s confusing not the actual story.

What do you think?

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u/Edgny81 2d ago edited 2d ago

If it’s a romance (as opposed to another genre with a romantic subplot) and is scenario like you’ve described, the inciting incident for the relationship arc is usually what brings them into each others’ sphere. In your described scenario, the logical entry point into the story (to me, at least) is when she sees the news about him going on the quest. They aren’t together on page quite yet but it sets up for the reader that they soon will be.

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u/Edgny81 2d ago

And it is also a natural entry point to parcel out a little bit about their prior breakup and lingering emotions related to that.

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u/LoversLoreWriter 2d ago

I appreciate your thoughts. Thanks!

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u/aabdelmonem 2d ago

If it’s contemporary romance, I would definitely say the meet-cute is probably the inciting incident. If it’s romantasy or fantasy romance, it just depends on far you lean into the romance or the fantasy, but with dual MCs, it’s probably still whatever brings the two into the quest together, but laced with whatever world/politics drives your story. Like the inciting incident is part of the plot arc - your character arcs should be tied to this, so even if they both have individual woes, they won’t necessarily have individually separate starting points. Unless you lean way more fantasy and the individuals don’t end up together until a significant way through the story…

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u/LoversLoreWriter 2d ago

Ok I think I get what you’re saying. It’s romance with a little sci fi. I was thinking that they wouldn’t meet again until beginning of beginning of act 2 when the quest starts. This gives some time to meet each character and do some backstory/world building as well as set some internal conflicts.

I’m starting to think that unfortunately I’m going to have to write it multiple ways and see which one makes the most sense.

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u/aabdelmonem 2d ago edited 2d ago

If you’re newer at writing, then rewriting is probably to be expected. Most writing is rewriting. I’m a few books into my writing career (contemporary and fantasy romance) and I’m going back to the drawing board with my fantasy to amp up the romance.

What I might add to this is to think about your market - is this going to be a book for romance readers (in whatever subgenre of romance)? If so, consider reading Gwen Hayes’s Romancing the Beat. Too much separation between love interests in a romance will likely put off romance readers. As much as possible, it’s better to have meet cutes happen early and keep the MCs together throughout, since romance readers want to see their interaction (it’s the MC’s journey together that is what they come for). Which means your first act has to pack a punch in a short amount of space - ideally, you introduce us to your MCs and their woes, then have them meet, while laying out the story problem and having both accept and then move into their journey together. It’s hard!

For instance, in my prior fantasy-romance, my first act was six chapters and while the MCs meet in Chpt 1 they don’t meet again til Chpt 6. I’m chucking all of that, reducing it down to 3-4 chpts (max!) and having them interacting in every chapter if possible. I still don’t know if that’ll be too much.

I hope this is useful for you! Good luck working through this:)

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u/LoversLoreWriter 2d ago

Thanks for the rec I’ll check it out. Good luck on your story too!

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u/LadyChubbyBlueberry 2d ago

I think the inticing incident could be him finding out he's on the same team as her when he actually joins the team.   In that sense you'd wait with revealing this bit of information so the reader feels the shock too.

Food for thought.

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u/LoversLoreWriter 2d ago

Okay that’s an interesting thought. Thanks!

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u/DeeHarperLewis 1d ago

You can give MC2 their own story. They are excited, then something happens and they are disappointed, the idealized image they have of MC1 was just and illusion, then something happens and they regain their admiration.

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u/lionbridges 1d ago

Yes I think that can be the inciting incident! Have fun writing!

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u/Prize_Consequence568 1d ago

"Ok very new to writing and yes I know I really need to read more. However, I really need to write at the moment."

You need to read at the moment.