10: The Pinch Point That Hooks Your Readers… Or Loses Them

Think of the part of of a book where the first big thing happens.

The moment that changes everything.

Something inciting occurs, something the reader can tell is going to fling the main character into a new direction they can’t turn back from.

Think:

• Primrose’s name being pulled in The Hunger Games

• Dumbledore arriving at that shack on the rock to tell Harry he’s a wizard

• Gandalf knocking on Bilbo Baggins’ door and asking if he can help with a quest

This second pinch point, often called the Inciting Incident or Call to Adventure, is the hook.

It’s the moment readers lean in and think, Oh… here we go.

And I'm going to unveil the secrets to you on how to write it.

A Quick Recap: The Eight Pivotal Pinch Points of Story

Most classic storytelling follows an eight-pinch-point structure: a framework that helps you build stories readers can’t put down.

1. Prison / Stasis

2. Inciting Incident / Call to Adventure

3. Quest Commences / The First Step

4. Obstacles / Stakes Are Raised

5. Split Desire / Critical Choice

6. Surrender / Admit Defeat

7. Go to War / Climax

8. Resolution

   
   

Want a deeper dive into Pinch Point 1? I’ve got a full breakdown HERE.

Why Structure Matters

You might hear the word structure and want to turn your nose up at it, refusing to let a set of steps cramp your creativity.

However, there’s no hiding the truth that there is a lot of structure around the stories we love and that have survived the test of time.

Rejecting structure might cause you to miss out on the freedom that a clear framework offers.

The eight-pinch-point framework isn’t about rules, it’s about direction. A step-by-step formula to success.

In my experience, structure actually fuels creativity. Having a plan sparks ideas and those “ah-ha” moments about where I can take my story next.

Because if there’s one thing that kills my creativity faster than rules, it’s having no direction at all. Too many possibilities. Too many paths.

Pinch Point 2: Inciting Incident / Call To Adventure

The Goal of this Pinch Point:

To force your main character out of their comfort zone and into decisive action.

This is where they take their first intentional step toward what they want. The thing that was hinted at in Pinch Point 1 as needing to change.

This is where their overall story desire becomes clear. Your character might not even fully understand this desire yet, but the reader should be starting to see it. In story-structure terms, that desire becomes the path your story follows. You can take detours along the way, explore side adventures, but the story always loops back to this core desire.

If not already introduced, this pinch point is also where we often meet the opponent. You might’ve seen a glimpse of them in Pinch Point 1. For example, in romance, the opponent (often the love interest) is usually introduced early. Here, in Pinch Point 2, the main character realizes what—or who—they’re truly up against.

This realization tends to come in layers. Each one raises the stakes just a little more.

By the end of this pinch point, the main character starts making a plan to get what they want.

(Not necessarily a good plan. But a plan nonetheless.)

Four Steps to Nail Pinch Point 2

1. Something Inciting Happens: The main character is called to step outside their comfort zone. To choose a new path and leave their "prison" behind. This is a great spot to include their refusal of the call, if you haven’t done that already. That hesitation, whether from fear, self-doubt, or outside influence, makes them relatable and human.

   
   

2. Desire is Clarified: The character’s overarching story desire becomes clear to the reader, even if the character doesn’t fully understand it yet. This helps set up the journey ahead.

   
   

3. Revelation of Risk and Introduction of Opponent: The character sees what they’re really up against. If the opponent hasn’t been introduced yet, this is where they come in.

   
   

4. A Revelation Leads to Action: The character sees something that raises the stakes again—but despite the fear, they take their first real step towards the desire. Often, the stakes are now so high, they no longer have a choice.

Let's Talk Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Let’s continue analysing the first book of my all-time favourite series.

Here’s why Throne of Glass is so fascinating to me now that I’m learning more about structure…

It actually opens on the inciting incident.

In the first chapter, the crown prince offers Celaena a deal: compete for the position of the King’s assassin and earn her freedom. That’s her way out of the prison camp. It happens on page five!

We do get a sense of her “prison”: she’s literally shackled and being chaperoned through the salt mines. So, there’s context. But opening on the inciting incident is probably why I was hooked from the start: the action began immediately.

But that raises the question:

Why do we need Pinch Point 1 at all if a story can open on Pinch Point 2 and immediately hook readers?

Personally, I believe this is one of the reasons SJM later wrote The Assassin’s Blade, the prequel novellas.She wrote Throne of Glass at sixteen, probably before she fully understood story structure and character arcs. Later, she realized that we never truly saw Celaena’s prison, what she had lost, and the depth of her suffering. And without that, it’s hard to land a satisfying arc. So, she went back and built it in.

More Examples of Inciting Incidents in Fiction

• Star Wars: A New Hope – Princess Leia's message reaches Luke, prompting him to join the Rebellion.

• Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross – Iris’ letters to her missing brother are intercepted… and someone begins writing back.

• The Lord of the Rings – Bilbo gives Frodo the Ring, setting him on his world-changing quest.

• Book Lovers by Emily Henry – Nora’s sister asks her to take a trip to Sunshine Falls, the very town she can’t stand.

Epilogue

The inciting incident is the trigger: the event that launches your character out of the life they knew and into a whole new world.

It’s usually the moment your readers decide: “Am I in? Or am I out?”

So make it count. Make it exciting. Make the stakes high.

Readers want to know: what happens if the main character fails?

This is why tropes like fake dating, secret identities, and trials work so well because the risk of failure is massive and the fall out will be undeniably messy.

Pinch Point 2 is the moment the story shifts. It’s the hand pushing your character out the door, ready or not.

Because if they stay stuck in their prison, they’ll never grow.

And the most captivating part of storytelling? Character growth.

So let your readers feel that shift. Let them see your character’s world crack open as they step into something new.

Happy Writing,

Renee Ella

If you loved the juicy tips and actionable steps from this post, be sure to subscribe below to be the first to know when the next one drops!