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FICTION WRITING AND STORYTELLING
How to Create an Exciting Ripple Effect
The chain reactions that keep your readers engaged
After you kickstart your story’s first significant event — the inciting incident — you’re ready to write about the exciting consequences of this pivotal scene.
Read about the inciting incident➡️ Fix Your Dull Writing With a Powerful Inciting Incident.
Let’s suppose a former friend deceived you, and to work through your emotions, you want to write a story that explores the theme of truth.
You start the story with an inciting incident involving someone who lies and cheats:
“Desa returned home balancing grocery bags in her arms. She was horrified to walk into an empty house. The furniture was gone, and hooks dangled where paintings hung three hours ago. She screamed. Hearing her distress, Eli, her new neighbor, ran across the street and knocked on her door.”
Next comes rapid dialogue where the reader learns Eli had been gardening in the back yard, so he didn’t see Desa’s roommate, Jenna, move out and steal all her possessions. When he heard Desa scream, Eli ran across the street. He holds her hand and comforts her with kind words of wisdom.
