Rising Action

The Inciting Incident has sent your reader along the trail of breadcrumbs, and now the plot thickens. This is often seen as the easiest part of fiction plot. That’s only the case when one has begun a tale properly.

The main things to pace in rising action are unpeeling layers of action and dropped details. Little bits of data about a character’s past and true nature need to be shown to your reader while waypoints of plot come to pass. After a writer has avoided the dreaded data—or info—dump in the exposition, now is the right time to dole out details. Dole out. The metaphor refers to a kitchen serving spoon; a utensil that’s designed for small portions.

In rising action, small portions are the rule. As action peels like an onion and details dropped like portions, anything to big should act as a warning. Look to break up sizable chunks in this part of plot. Even distribution is a sign of healthy rising action.