KM Weiland posed a question on facebook. “What is the inciting incident of your WIP”
AJ of course answered it.
It depends on which one you want as I have the book plot, the multi-book arc story, or the multi-book multi-arc overall story.
The inciting incident of the book is when my MC is first tasked with hunting down the dragon who robbed a bank and showed herself to the human world.
The inciting incident of the arc story is at the end of the first book (the plot above) when my MC finds out that he was supposed to die as a baby and that he has a twin sister.
The inciting incident of the overall story of the current multi-arc story is in the first chapter of the first book (the plot above) when he meets the blue-eyed man at the club who was sent to spy on him by the big bad.
AJ’s currently reading Save the Cat! writes a novel and going through the exercises for the Last Phoenix and this all sorts of plays into that. But right now she’s questioning whether or not the first book is about me, or Alex. And it really becomes more of a question which story is being told. Alex changes more than I do in book 1. He goes from trusting no one to trusting me and essentially forgiving me.
But if we look at the next larger picture. Does Alex grow beyond that one thing? Yes he’s an integral part of my life. But for the Ascendant and his own supernatural growth does he? He trusts more people. He accepts me, Ant. He’s my hero but the hero of the story? Is his story more interesting than mine? AJ wants to write Alex’s story. But it’s not my story. So I think we are going with I’m the hero of this story.
Because overall while Alex plays a big part of it, it’s still revolving around me. Me becoming Ascendant, then falling and fixing things, and ultimately saving the world. I mean isn’t that the chosen one’s shtick?
The Mind of Nox 
I totally get AJ’s concerns about “Wait. Who is the hero of this story, anyway?” I started my Ambrose and Elsie story with Ambrose clearly being the lead/most important character. Then, Robin and Isellta came aboard and the emotional center of the story tilted more towards them. They have a whole “Are these two crazy kids ever gonna get back together and confess their feelings face-to-face? Are they ever gonna be in the same room again?” arc. But the resolution of their arc is connected to Ambrose’s “I want to stop being such a selfish jerk.” arc and it’s all going to come together at the end in (I hope) a very satisfying way.
As for the inciting incident of my Ambrose and Elsie story, it’s when Mark Caten decided to punish Ambrose for failing to accomplish a job. He convinced the ghost of Ambrose’s girlfriend to cross over when Ambrose wasn’t even there to say his final farewell to her. Ambrose took major offense. He stormed over to Mark’s office, killed all of his guards, and threatened to kill Mark too. Mark Caten uninvited him from his office, which forced Ambrose to leave the room. Mark called Elsie with a job offer and the story moves on from that point forward.
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