Plot: Beginning

Beginning of story

(1) Describe your protagonist's life in the beginning (Ordinary World or Stasis) of the story. Brainstorm ways you could establish normality through action and dialogue to avoid boring your reader.

John is a farmer and horse trader. He lives on a farm that was sold to him by his mother-in-law, Eliza, on the condition that he and his wife, Elizabeth, take care of her for the rest of their lives. He has one son, John, who is blind in both eyes and has been since birth.
John has a mistress, Molly, on the side.
Tense dialogue. Elizabeth asking where Lewis has been, he was late.
Stranger coming to farm with no valid reason, looking for Lewis.
Lewis seeing Mollly and avoiding her as he and Elizabeth are out shopping.


(2) Describe the inciting incident or trigger (Call to Adventure) that prompts your protagonist(s) to embark on this story's journey (whether literal or metaphorical) and face the conflict.

John's wife is murdered in the middle of the night.