Hello fellow writers! Today I’m going to talk about one of the most crucial elements in any good story – conflict and tension. Whether you’re writing a thrilling adventure or an emotional drama, knowing how to create and maintain conflict is essential for keeping your readers engaged from start to finish. So grab your favourite drink, get comfortable, and let’s dive into this topic together!

First things first: what exactly do we mean by “conflict”? In the world of fiction writing, conflict refers to any obstacle or challenge that your characters face. It can come in many forms – internal struggles like doubts, fears, or self-doubt; external challenges such as antagonists, natural disasters, or societal issues; and even interpersonal conflicts between characters. The key is to create situations where your characters must work hard to overcome these obstacles, making the story more interesting and dynamic.

Now let’s talk about tension. Tension is a bit different from conflict because it refers to the emotional response that readers have when they read about or witness a character facing a challenge. It’s that feeling of anticipation, uncertainty, or suspense that keeps readers turning pages late into the night. To create tension, you need to make sure your characters are in situations where their fates are uncertain and the stakes are high.

So how do we fill our stories with conflict and tension? Here are a few tips:

“If there is no conflict in a story, it’s not really a story; it’s just an account of events that have happened.” – John Steinbeck

1. Start with a strong hook: Begin your story by introducing a problem or challenge for one of your characters right from the start. This will immediately grab readers’ attention and set the stage for what’s to come. Your story should begin with an immediate problem or challenge that grabs readers’ attention right from the start. This could be anything from a mysterious letter, to a sudden disaster, to a character waking up in unfamiliar surroundings. The key is to make sure your opening scene sets the stage for what’s to come and creates anticipation about how things will play out.
2. Develop multi-dimensional characters: Create characters who are complex, relatable, and have their own unique voices and personalities. By doing this, you can create opportunities for conflict and tension throughout your story as they face obstacles that resonate with readers. Characters who are complex and relatable are more likely to face conflicts that readers can empathise with. Give your characters flaws, fears, and desires that create internal struggles or make them vulnerable in some way. This not only makes for a richer story but also creates opportunities for conflict and tension throughout the narrative.
3. Create external obstacles: Once you’ve established your character’s goals and motivations, it’s time to throw some roadblocks in their path! External conflicts can come from many sources – antagonists who oppose your protagonist’s objectives, societal norms that make achieving their goal difficult, or even natural disasters. The key is to ensure these obstacles are relevant and believable within the context of your story world.
4. Introduce internal and external conflicts: Internal conflicts arise from a character’s emotions or inner struggles, while external conflicts come from outside forces like antagonists, societal norms, or natural disasters. A mix of both types of conflict will keep your story engaging and dynamic.
5. Raise the stakes: Make sure readers understand why what happens in your story matters by showing that there’s something at stake for your characters – their lives, relationships, dreams, etc. The higher the stakes, the more tension you can create. To create tension, you need to show readers why what happens in your story matters. This means making sure that there’s something at stake for your characters – their lives, relationships, or dreams could all be on the line. The higher the stakes, the more invested readers will become in seeing how things play out.
6. Use pacing to your advantage: Pacing is a crucial tool when it comes to creating conflict and tension. You can build anticipation by slowing down the action or revealing information gradually, while quickening the pace during intense scenes creates excitement and urgency. Experiment with different pacing techniques throughout your story to keep readers on their toes. Slow down the action during intense scenes to build anticipation or speed up the pace when things need to move quickly.
7. Don’t shy away from change: A well-crafted story should involve some degree of character growth or transformation. As characters evolve, so too will the conflicts they face. By allowing your characters to grow and adapt in response to the challenges they encounter, you can create a dynamic narrative that keeps readers engaged until the very end.
8. Keep dialogue authentic and engaging: Make sure your characters’ conversations feel natural, believable, and true to their personalities. Use a conversational style in your writing that reflects how people actually speak while still maintaining clarity and cohesion in your storytelling.
9. Inject humour when appropriate: Even darker stories can benefit from some levity. Humour can help break up tension or provide relief during intense moments, making it an important tool to consider when crafting your narrative.
10. Build curiosity through foreshadowing and mystery: Leave breadcrumbs for readers to follow by hinting at future events or leaving certain details ambiguous. This will keep them engaged as they try to piece together what might happen next.
11. Balance internal and external conflict, and subplots: Ensure that your story has a good balance of different types of conflicts and subplots. These can help create additional tension by showing how various elements of the story are interconnected or influence one another.
12. Master the art of suspense: Use techniques like withholding information, creating cliffhangers, or using unexpected twists to keep readers guessing and invested in your story until the very end.

Remember that every story is unique, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you and your characters.

“A story should have conflict, not a struggle between characters or with the environment, but an inner clash that will engage a reader’s empathy.” – William Faulkner

A Framework for moving forward

1. Establish the main character(s) and their goals: Clearly define what each character wants, both in terms of personal desires and overarching plot objectives. This will provide a foundation for creating conflicts that drive the narrative forward.
2. Identify potential sources of conflict: Consider various types of conflict (internal, external, interpersonal, etc.) and brainstorm situations or obstacles that could challenge your characters’ goals. These can include opposing forces, physical barriers, emotional struggles, moral dilemmas, and more.
3. Create a balance between internal and external conflicts: Ensure that both the character’s inner turmoil and outer challenges are present throughout the story to maintain tension and keep readers engaged.
4. Use dialogue to reveal conflict and subtext: Write conversations in a conversational style while hinting at emotions, motivations, and underlying tensions between characters. This will help create an authentic feel and make your story more immersive for readers.
5. Inject humour when appropriate: Add levity where it makes sense to provide relief from intense moments or lighten the mood without detracting from the overall tension in the story.
6. Build curiosity through foreshadowing and mystery: Leave breadcrumbs for your audience by hinting at future events or leaving certain details ambiguous, encouraging readers to piece together what might happen next.
7. Master the art of suspense: Utilise techniques like withholding information, creating cliffhangers, or using unexpected twists to keep readers guessing and invested in your story until the very end.
8. Perfect pacing: Ensure that your story’s pace matches its tone and maintains a steady build-up of tension throughout. This can be achieved by varying sentence structure, cadence, and use of sensory details.
9. Consider using subplots to add depth and complexity: Introduce secondary stories or characters that intersect with the main plot, creating additional layers of conflict and tension within your narrative.
10. Make it authentic: Ensure that each character’s voice, speech patterns, and personality are unique and believable, contributing to a conversational style that feels natural and engaging for readers.

By following this framework, you can create a story filled with conflict and tension while maintaining a loose conversational style throughout your narrative. Remember to experiment and find what works best for your characters and their individual stories.

The 8 conflicts of man

1. Man vs nature: Create conflict between humans and the natural world (e.g., storms, earthquakes, or environmental disasters). This type of conflict can be especially effective when combined with internal struggles.
   • Example: A group of friends on a camping trip must navigate treacherous terrain to escape a raging wildfire.
2. Man vs self: Explore your characters’ inner demons and psychological battles. This type of conflict can create deep tension as readers empathise with the character’s emotional turmoil.
   • Example: A protagonist struggling with PTSD must confront their past traumas before they can move forward.
3. Man vs society: Create conflict between individuals or groups within a society (e.g., social hierarchies, cultural differences, or political ideologies). This type of conflict can be especially relevant in contemporary fiction.
   • Example: A group of activists fighting against systemic racism must navigate the complexities of their own relationships and biases to achieve change.
4. Man vs technology: Explore conflicts between humans and technology (e.g., AI, robotics, or virtual reality). This type of conflict can create tension as readers question the implications of technological advancements on human society.
   • Example: A protagonist struggling with a malfunctioning AI assistant must confront the blurred lines between human and machine intelligence.
5. Man vs other: Create conflicts between individuals or groups (e.g., rivalries, feuds, or wars). This type of conflict can be especially effective when combined with internal struggles or external threats.
   • Example: A group of friends on a mission to retrieve a valuable artefact must navigate treacherous terrain and hostile rivals to achieve their goal.
6. Man vs time: Explore conflicts between humans and the passage of time (e.g., aging, mortality, or historical events). This type of conflict can create tension as readers reflect on the human experience.
   • Example: A protagonist struggling with a terminal illness must confront their own mortality and make amends before it’s too late.
7. Man vs fate: Create conflicts between humans and fate (e.g., destiny, karma, or supernatural forces). This type of conflict can be especially effective when combined with internal struggles or external threats.
   • Example: A group of friends on a quest to uncover the truth behind an ancient curse must navigate treacherous terrain and supernatural entities to achieve their goal.
8. Man vs self-discovery: Explore conflicts between humans and self-discovery (e.g., identity, purpose, or personal growth). This type of conflict can create tension as readers empathise with the character’s emotional journey.
   • Example: A protagonist struggling to find their place in the world must confront their own biases and limitations before they can move forward.

“In a good novel, the tension mounts like an express elevator.” – Stephen King

5 Mistakes to avoid

1. Over-relying on cliches: Avoid using overused or predictable conflicts that readers have seen many times before, as they can make your story feel stale and unoriginal.
2. Ignoring character development: Make sure the conflict and tension are driven by characters’ personalities, desires, and growth, rather than being forced into the plot artificially.
3. Neglecting pacing and balance: Ensure that the story progresses at a steady pace with appropriate build-up to climaxes and resolutions, while balancing internal and external conflicts effectively.
4. Failing to show instead of telling emotions: Use dialogue and actions to convey characters’ feelings and subtext rather than explicitly stating them, maintaining a conversational style that feels natural and engaging.
5. Overlooking the importance of humour or levity: Incorporate lighter moments within darker stories to provide relief for readers without sacrificing tension or conflict, creating a more dynamic narrative experience.

5 Key takeaways

1. Build conflict and tension through character-driven stories: Focus on creating characters with opposing goals, desires, or beliefs to create natural conflicts that drive the story forward.
2. Raise stakes and perfect pacing: Ensure your plot progresses at a steady pace while increasing the consequences of each decision made by your characters, keeping readers engaged throughout.
3. Create curiosity and use subplots: Introduce elements of mystery or unexpected twists to keep readers guessing about what might happen next, using secondary stories or characters to add depth and complexity.
4. Master dialogue that hints at emotions and subtext: Use a loose conversational style by showing rather than telling emotions, conflicts, and subtext through character interactions, making the dialogue feel natural and believable.
5. Balance internal and external conflict: Show how your characters’ inner struggles (internal conflict) interact with their outer circumstances (external conflict), creating a more dynamic and engaging story.

Conclusion

“Conflict is the engine of drama… It’s what makes people care about your characters and want to keep reading or watching.” – Neil Gaiman

Conflict and tension are the secret sauce of fiction writing. By incorporating these elements into your story, you’ll keep readers hooked from start to finish. Remember:

• Create a conflict your characters care about.
• Use internal conflicts to add depth and complexity.
• Introduce unpredictability to keep things fresh and exciting.
• Make your characters pay the price for their actions (or inactions).

So there you have it, many tips and ideas for filling your fiction story with conflict and tension! Remember, every story is unique, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works best for your characters and their world. Happy writing!