Conflict

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Just wondering, in a story or a series of stories, what is a prime example of good conflict? I'm having a bit of trouble with this in my novel, like I have conflict, but there's not a lot. I'm wondering how to make it better.

help?
Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else.
-Gloria Steinem




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Writing Excuses has a nice podcast on pacing that sort of answers the same thing Here
:3 I found it really useful.




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The way I figure out sources of conflict is like so: Take any character. What do they want, more than anything else? What prevents them from getting it? I love it when the answer is themselves, but that´s another story. Conflict= character plus unrealized goal. Pretty much any story you analyze fits this formula.

Alternatively, take any scene/chapter and ask yourself what the worst posible thing for your character would be. And then do it. :D (Not always, but it is fun).

In other words, look at it as character development, and not plot.



The poetry of the earth is never dead.
— John Keats