Here are 100 command prompts for creating the literary initiation of a plot, categorized by the type of inciting incident.
1. The Discovery
(The protagonist finds something that shatters their reality.)
Start with the discovery of a **body** in an impossible location (e.g., a locked room, a treetop).Initiate the plot with a **hidden letter** found in a family bible or old book, revealing a life-changing secret.The protagonist discovers an **impossible object** (an "anachronism," e.g., a smartphone found in a 19th-century grave).Begin with the protagonist finding a **map** where their own home is marked with an "X".Have the protagonist discover a **secret room** or hidden passage in their own house.The plot begins when the protagonist finds a **photograph** that proves their parent or partner is an imposter.Start with the protagonist finding a **journal written in their own handwriting**, detailing future events they don't remember writing.The protagonist discovers they have an **unexplained, new ability** (e.g., they can hear thoughts, they can't be hurt).Initiate with the discovery of a **vast sum of money** in a duffel bag, with no clue as to its origin.Have the protagonist find a **"found footage" recording** that depicts a crime or an impossible event.The plot starts when the protagonist finds a **child on their doorstep** with a note containing a single, cryptic word.Begin with the protagonist finding a **voice recording** of a deceased loved one, dated *after* their death.The protagonist discovers their "boring" desk job is a **front for a secret organization**.Start with the discovery of a **creature that shouldn't exist** (e.g., a dragon hatchling, a fairy).
2. The Arrival
(Someone or something new enters the protagonist's world.)
Initiate the plot with the **arrival of a stranger** in a small, isolated town, asking questions about a forgotten event.The plot begins with the **return of a disgraced family member** or a "black sheep" who wants something.Start with the protagonist receiving a **mysterious, formal invitation** to an event or society they've never heard of.A **lawyer arrives** to inform the protagonist they have inherited a title, a property, or an enormous debt.The protagonist's **childhood imaginary friend** arrives, in the flesh, with a warning.An **old enemy** arrives, wounded and desperate, begging the protagonist for help.A **mysterious package** is delivered to the protagonist, containing an item that seems to defy physics.The protagonist's **doppelgänger** or "evil twin" appears and begins to take over their life.A **prophet or oracle** arrives in the city, delivering a public prophecy that names the protagonist.The protagonist receives a **summons from the King/Queen/President** for a task they are not qualified for.A **new technology** is introduced that makes the protagonist's entire life's work or skill obsolete.A **"fixer"** arrives, sent to clean up a mess the protagonist didn't even know they had made.
3. The Loss or Departure
(The plot is triggered by something being taken away.)
Start the plot with the **sudden, mysterious death** of a mentor or guardian.The plot begins with the **kidnapping** of the protagonist's child, partner, or parent.The protagonist **loses their job, home, and reputation** in a single day.The plot is initiated by the **theft of a "MacGuffin"**—a priceless, unique, or dangerous item the protagonist was guarding.The protagonist wakes up with **amnesia**; the plot is the "loss of self."A **key ally or friend disappears** without a trace, leaving behind a single, cryptic clue.The protagonist's **entire family vanishes** from their home overnight.The protagonist is **disinherited** or **excommunicated** from their family, faith, or community.A **natural disaster** (fire, flood, storm) destroys the protagonist's "normal world" and forces them to move on.The protagonist's **face suddenly appears on a "Most Wanted" poster** for a crime they didn't commit.The plot begins when the protagonist **loses a high-stakes bet** or competition, and must now pay an impossible price.Start with the protagonist **losing their magic** or unique talent in a world that relies on it.
4. The Personal Act or Mistake
(The protagonist's own choice initiates the plot.)
The plot begins when the protagonist **tells a small lie** that spirals dangerously out of control.The protagonist **witnesses a crime** and is seen by the perpetrator.The protagonist, out of curiosity, **breaks a sacred rule** or opens a "forbidden" door.Start with the protagonist **making a promise** to a dying person that they have no idea how to keep.The protagonist **makes a "deal with the devil"** or a Faustian bargain that backfires immediately.The plot is triggered when the protagonist **steals a powerful object** on a whim.The protagonist **publicly humiliates a powerful rival** who then swears revenge.The protagonist **accidentally kills** someone and decides to cover it up.The protagonist **publishes an anonymous article** that exposes a massive conspiracy, and now the conspiracy is hunting them.The protagonist **cheats to win** a prestigious competition, and someone knows.The protagonist **summons something** (a demon, a spirit, an ancient power) they cannot control.The protagonist **spares the life** of an enemy they were supposed to kill, creating a new, complex threat.The protagonist **makes a single, terrible mistake** at work (e.g., a surgeon, a pilot) that has catastrophic consequences.
5. The "Status Quo Shattered"
(The protagonist's "normal" world is violently and unexpectedly broken.)
Start with the protagonist's **"perfect day"** (a wedding, a promotion) and shatter it with a **public, shocking event**.The protagonist **wakes up in the wrong body**.The protagonist **wakes up in the wrong time** (100 years in the past or future).The protagonist's **secret identity is publicly exposed**.A **sudden declaration of war** or a **martial law lockdown** traps the protagonist in a hostile city.The protagonist is **arrested by "time police"** for a crime they haven't committed yet.The protagonist **returns from a trip** to find their home gone, their family claiming not to know them, and someone else living their life.A **sudden, unnatural event** occurs (e.g., the sun doesn't rise, gravity fluctuates, all animals start to speak).The protagonist is **publicly named** as the sole beneficiary in a billionaire's will, making them an instant target.A **city-wide quarantine** is announced, trapping the protagonist in a "hot zone" with a killer.The protagonist's **"imaginary" world or creation** suddenly becomes real.The protagonist's **family is revealed to be "handlers"** or spies assigned to watch them.The stock market crashes, and the protagonist's **life savings are wiped out**, forcing them into a desperate. criminal enterprise.The plot begins with a **failed experiment** that unleashes a threat in a secure facility.
6. The Call to Action
(The protagonist is formally or informally given a quest.)
The protagonist is **drafted into a war** they don't believe in.The protagonist is **chosen by a prophecy** or ancient ritual to be the "Chosen One."The protagonist receives a **desperate, coded message** from an old friend who is now in danger.The protagonist is **hired for an "impossible" job** (a heist, a rescue, an infiltration).The protagonist is **blackmailed** into undertaking a dangerous mission.The protagonist is **selected as a sacrifice** or "tribute" for a dark ritual.The protagonist is **challenged to a duel** or a high-stakes, winner-take-all competition.The protagonist is the **only one who can see** the new threat (e.g., aliens, ghosts, demons).The protagonist is **tasked by a dying mentor** with completing their life's work.The protagonist is **sent on a "fool's errand"** by a cynical king, only to discover the "errand" is real and vital.The protagonist's **child becomes terminally ill**, and the only "cure" is a mythical item that must be quested for.
7. The "In Medias Res" Opener
(The plot starts in the middle of the action.)
Start with the protagonist **running** (from what? to what? the reader doesn't know).Begin with the protagonist **holding a smoking gun** over a dead body, with no memory of the last hour.The story opens during a **high-speed chase** (car, horseback, spaceship).Start the plot with the protagonist **already in prison** or an interrogation room, being asked "Why did you do it?"The plot begins with the protagonist **waking up on a ship** (or train, or transport) with no idea how they got there.Open on **"Day 100"** of the protagonist's survival after an apocalypse.The story begins with the protagonist **betraying their team** during a mission.
8. High-Concept & "What If" Starters
(The fundamental rules of the world change.)
Initiate the plot the moment **all electricity on Earth** permanently stops working.Start on the day **people stop being able to die**.The plot begins when **people suddenly can no longer lie**.The story starts when **gravity becomes a limited, controllable resource**.The plot begins when **everyone on Earth shares the exact same, terrifying dream**.Start on the day a **giant "health bar"** appears in the sky over every person's head.The protagonist **discovers their life is a "Truman Show"**-style simulation, and they've just found the exit.The plot begins when a **character's shadow** develops its own, malevolent personality.Start when the protagonist **finds a "save point"** and realizes they can "reload" their life after a mistake.The plot begins when **all written words** (books, websites, signs) suddenly turn into an unreadable, alien script.
9. Atmospheric & Tonal Starters
(The plot is initiated by a feeling or an image.)
Start with a **lonely, atmospheric image** (a single lighthouse in a storm, a derelict ship in the fog).Begin at a **funeral on a rainy day**, where the protagonist is the only one who knows the death wasn't an accident.Open at a **decadent, masked ball** where the protagonist is there to commit a crime.Start with a **tense, silent family dinner** where everyone at the table has a secret, and the tension is about to break.Initiate the plot with a **prologue from an ancient time**, showing a great evil being "sealed away."The plot begins with the protagonist **digging a grave** under a full moon.Start with a **scene of perfect, domestic tranquility** that is shattered by a single line of dialogue (e.g., "I don't love you anymore").
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