Special Note:

Short Story Incubator—Application deadline extended to Monday, July 29 at 11:59pm ET.

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  • Seminar
  • Online: Zoom
  • Adult (18+)

Unlock Your Story's Inciting Incident

No Longer Enrolling

  • $75.00 Non-Member
  • $65.00 Member

Class Description

Do you know the event that sets your story in motion? The inciting incident is an important beat in your story that moves your protagonist toward a new course of action. It's a gateway scene from the before to the after for your characters, from the what was to the what will be.

We'll debunk the myths about inciting incidents and review examples from published works. Then we'll unpack recommendations for making your story's inciting incident dynamic and compelling.

By the end of the class, you'll:
* Be able to identify your story's inciting incident.
* Have guidelines for a scene that engages readers.
* Know where to place the scene in the narrative.

Class Format

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.

Scholarships Format/Location

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. Please visit the Resources tab to access the video-conference link.

Zoom Participation:

Students are not required to turn their camera on, but are encouraged to participate any way they feel comfortable through functions such as the live chat, emoji reactions, and unmuting the microphone. Learn more about using Zoom here.

Zoom Accessibility:

We ask that instructors enable closed captioning and send a transcript of the session after class. You can also enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting. If your instructor forgets to send the transcript, just send ’em an email!