z

Young Writers Society


Conflict



User avatar
135 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 248
Reviews: 135
Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:06 pm
lakegirls says...



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
  





User avatar
7 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 1217
Reviews: 7
Fri Jan 28, 2011 12:34 am
.:Elf:. says...



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





User avatar
522 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 7715
Reviews: 522
Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:36 pm
View Likes
canislupis says...



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.
  








Did you ever hear the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the wise? I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It's a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midichlorians to create life... He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying. The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural. He became so powerful... the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. It's ironic he could save others from death, but not himself.
— RazorSharpPencil