<p>If your opening goes boom but your hero can shrug and carry on, that’s fireworks, not story. In this episode I breaks down the real job of an inciting incident - to bind your protagonist to an obligation that costs something now and points the story arrow.</p><p>Here's what you'll learn:</p><ul><li>What “binding” means in plain English and how to spot it fast</li><li>The five ways a moment can stick Bond, Irreversibility, New stakes, Direction, Pressure</li><li>A spoken mini-exercise you can even do while walking the dog</li><li>A quick diagnostic to fix fake incidents that are loud but optional</li><li>A simple before and after that turns a limp delivery into a clock-ticking crisis</li></ul><p>We'll also look at:</p><ul><li>Pride and Prejudice Darcy’s slight and Lizzy’s promise to herself</li><li>Legally Blonde Elle’s public vow to Harvard Law</li><li>A Streetcar Named Desire Blanche’s choice to stay and conceal</li></ul><p>Want help binding your own opening? Start here and visit <a href="https://www.thebookcoach.co" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://www.thebookcoach.co</a></p>
