Characters in Motion
7 Exercises That Activate Characters Through Inciting Incidents
⋙ Master the Fundamentals, Keep the Streak Alive ⋘
Bookmark these daily “streak savers” from Writing Streak.
Since you’re a writer, you probably know how hard it can be to get moving. You're staring at a blank document, cursor blinking like some kind of impatient toe tapper, and you find you just... can't. We’ve all been there. We know we should write but something holds us back. It's like we're waiting for the perfect inciting incident to kick us into gear, except inspiration isn't exactly known for being punctual.
And yet, writers are actually experts in motivation. Think about it. We know exactly what it takes to push a reluctant hero out the door, how to craft that perfect moment when a shy character finally speaks up, or what tiny detail will make someone abandon their carefully constructed routine. We understand intuitively that characters need more than just a gentle nudge—they need something that fundamentally disrupts their status quo, like a meteor.
And maybe our characters can inspire us to make our writing streak the status quo. This week, we're going to explore what gets characters (and maybe ourselves) moving by playing with different types of inciting incidents. Maybe by understanding how we kick our characters into gear, we'll find new ways to activate our own writing practice. No meteors required.
This Week’s Streak Savers 🪦
⋙ Monday, Nov 25: Environmental Disruption
Setup: A character encounters an unexpected change in their familiar environment that demands their attention.
Goal: Create reader engagement through a character's forced response to environmental change. Show how physical alterations in space can drive character action.
Constraints:
Describe the environment through only what has changed
Character must attempt to ignore or minimize the change at least once
Write exactly three paragraphs: one establishing normalcy, one introducing disruption, one showing response
Modification: For added challenge, make the environmental change subtle enough that only your character would notice it.
Reflection: How does the scale of environmental change affect the believability of your character's response?
⋙ Tuesday, Nov 26: Simple Decision Points
Setup: A character faces a clear decision between maintaining their current situation or taking action that will change it.
Goal: Engage readers by creating tension between stability and change. Have an internal conflict manifest in external choices.
Constraints:
Write the scene in real-time (no flashbacks or forward jumps)
Include exactly three physical gestures that reveal internal state
End the scene with the choice made but its consequences still unknown
Modification: For extra challenge, make the chosen action negatively affect someone the character cares about..
Reflection: What physical details best revealed your character's internal struggle?
⋙ Wednesday, Nov 27: Perception Shifts
Setup: A character receives information that challenges their understanding of a situation or relationship.
Goal: Pull readers into the moment a character's worldview shifts. Create tension between old and new understanding.
Constraints:
Show the realization through physical reactions and dialogue only
Use at least one metaphor comparing old understanding to new
Keep the scene contained within a single location and moment
Reflection: How did the character's initial resistance to new information affect the scene's tension?
⋙ Thursday, Nov 28: Indirect Incitement
Setup: A change affects someone close to your character.
Goal: Create reader investment by showing how indirect consequences can force action. Demonstrate the interconnected nature of character motivations.
Constraints:
Begin after the initial incident has already occurred
Include at least two different characters' reactions to the change
Show your character trying to maintain distance from the situation
End when your character is spurred to act by the friend’s situation
Reflection: What would change if the character were more directly involved?
⋙ Friday, Nov 29: False Starts
Setup: A character makes multiple attempts to address a situation, with each attempt revealing why their approach won't work.
Goal: Build reader anticipation through failed attempts. Show how each failure shapes the character's understanding of what's really needed.
Constraints:
Show exactly three attempts to resolve the situation
Each attempt must fail for a different reason
End the scene just as the character realizes what they actually need to do
Reflection: How did the progression of failures affect the pacing?
⋙ Saturday, Nov 30: Subversive Incidents
Setup: A character responds to an event with a clear call to action that they will be subverting.
Goal: Engage readers through misdirection when the character reacts in an unexpected way. Show how apparent motivations can mask deeper drives to action.
Constraints:
Open with a clear apparent call to action that seems to have an obvious solution
Include at least one moment of certainty before the subversion
Reveal the true motivation through action rather than realization
Modification: For less challenge, have the character act out of spite rather than self-interest.
Reflection: What would change if the true motivation were revealed earlier?
⋙ Sunday, Dec 1: Activation Flash Points
Setup: Think of three situations with different characters moving from inaction to action.
Goal: Write three drafts for flash fiction stories that demonstrate variety in character activation.
Constraints:
Each piece should use a different type of inciting incident
No two pieces should share similar character archetypes or situations
End each piece with the character in motion toward their goal
Modification: For more challenge, connect all three pieces subtly through a shared element (an object, location, or theme).
Reflection: Which type of inciting incident created the most immediate reader engagement?