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Martha Alderson

Plot Consultant

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The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

January 17, 2015 By Martha Alderson

The Goldfinch by Donna TarttThe Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The difference between
the inciting incident and the end of the beginning

A writer asks: isn’t the inciting incident of an example I use — the Pulitizer Prize winning The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt — when he steals the painting (and well before the the End of the Beginning and 1st Energetic Marker at the 1/4 mark)?

Yes, the dramatic action inciting incident is when he steals The Goldfinch in the museum. His action energizes the external action, changing the ordinary to the dramatic — thus inciting the dramatic action plot.

I was describing just prior to her question the scene that occupies the all important 1st Energetic Marker: the End of the Beginning. Rather than the scene where he steals the painting earning the marker moment, the scene that steals the coveted spot is when his father arrives. His father’s arrival is a pivotal no-turning-back moment that earns this honor because at its heart, this story is primarily character-driven. In this coming of age story, long before his mother dies in the explosion, his father inflicted the protagonist’s backstory wound when he walked out on them.

Yes, the dramatic action makes this a page-turning novel — will he or won’t he succeed? The answer we come to care about more deeply is will he or won’t he find peace?

(I posted the following after the 2014 Writers’ Digest Los Angeles Writing Conference and repost here for ease)

What’s New!
For more help with Energetic Markers and the inciting incident, I’m re-filming the all-time favorite and viewed more than 160,000 times The 27-Step Tutorial: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? If you’d like to follow along as I film all 27 steps to plotting a novel, memoir, screenplay, I’m offering a special beta-membership.

$9.99 All Inclusive SPECIAL OFFER
Beta-Membership to Writing a Story Takes You on An Epic Journey includes full access to both video programs in progress:

  • 27-Step Tutorial: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? 
  • The Spiritual Guide: How to Embrace the Infinite Wisdom of the Universal Story and Transform Your Own Unique Creative Expression the Plot Whisperer Way 
Previous Post: « Identifying the Exact Right Protagonist Takes Time and An Open Mind
Next Post: Writing a Story is Like Riding a Wave »

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Martha lives at the beach along the central coast of California and draws inspiration from the surrounding nature. When not at the beach, she writes women’s fiction and is exploring what it means to leave a lasting legacy. [Read More] about About Martha

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