RAISING & CREATING CONFLICT IN YOUR STORY: A GUIDE FOR WRITERS

Conflict is the driving force of any story. It’s what keeps readers hooked, characters evolving, and the plot moving forward. Without conflict, a story can feel flat and uninteresting. But how do you create and raise conflict in your narrative effectively? Whether you’re writing a novel, screenplay, or short story, understanding how to weave conflict into your narrative is key to crafting a compelling tale. This guide will help you explore the different types of conflict and provide strategies for raising the stakes in your story.

UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT IN STORYTELLING

Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces that creates tension in a story. It can be internal (within a character) or external (between characters or forces). Conflict is essential because it reveals character, drives the plot, and engages the audience by making them invested in the outcome.

TYPES OF CONFLICT

• INTERNAL CONFLICT (CHARACTER VS SELF)
• This occurs within a character, often involving moral dilemmas, emotional struggles, or mental challenges. It’s the battle between different desires, beliefs, or fears within the character.
• Hamlet: Hamlet’s internal conflict revolves around his indecision and guilt about avenging his father’s death. He grapples with questions of morality, revenge, and his own existence.
• EXTERNAL CONFLICT
• Character vs. Character: This is the classic hero vs. villain scenario, where the protagonist faces off against an antagonist. 
• Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Harry Potter’s final showdown with Lord Voldemort embodies the ultimate struggle between good and evil, with each character representing opposing forces in the wizarding world.
• Character vs. Society: Here, the protagonist battles against societal norms, laws, or cultural expectations.
• 1984: Winston Smith fights against the oppressive regime of Big Brother. The conflict is not just against individuals but against the totalitarian system that controls every aspect of life.
• Character vs. Nature: This involves the protagonist struggling against natural forces, such as surviving a storm, escaping a wild animal, or enduring a harsh environment.
• The Old Man and the Sea: Santiago’s battle with the marlin and the relentless sea is a profound example of man vs. nature, illustrating his struggle against the elements and his own limitations.
• Character vs. Supernatural: The protagonist confronts elements beyond the natural world, like ghosts, monsters, or divine beings.
• The Exorcist: The conflict between the priests and the demonic entity possessing a young girl is an intense example of character vs. supernatural forces.
• Character vs. Technology: In this conflict, the protagonist faces challenges posed by machines, artificial intelligence, or technological advancements.
• The Matrix: The entire film series exemplifies this type of conflict, where Neo and the human resistance fight against a world controlled by intelligent machines that have enslaved humanity in a simulated reality.

STRATEGIES FOR CREATING AND RAISING CONFLICT

• Develop Strong Characters with Clear Goals: Conflict arises when characters have something they desperately want or need but face obstacles in achieving it. Make sure your protagonist has a clear goal, whether it’s tangible (finding a treasure) or intangible (seeking acceptance). The stronger the desire, the higher the stakes when conflict arises.
• Gone Girl: both Nick and Amy Dunne have strong, conflicting goals—Nick wants to clear his name in a murder investigation, while Amy wants to frame him, creating an intense psychological battle.
• Introduce Obstacles and Antagonists: For every goal your protagonist has, there should be an obstacle in the way. This could be another character (an antagonist), an internal struggle, or an external force. The more formidable the obstacle, the more intense the conflict.
• The Dark Knight: Batman faces not just the physical threat of the Joker but also the moral dilemmas posed by his nemesis, who challenges Batman’s principles and forces him to confront his own methods.
• Raise the Stakes: As the story progresses, the consequences of failure should become more severe. If your protagonist doesn’t achieve their goal, what will they lose? It could be something personal, like a loved one’s safety, or something broader, like the fate of a community or even the world. By raising the stakes, you increase the tension and keep readers engaged.
• The Hunger Games: the stakes are life and death not just for the protagonist, Katniss, but for the entire district she represents, creating an intense atmosphere of conflict.
• Create Conflicting Motivations: One effective way to deepen conflict is to give your characters conflicting motivations.
• The Great Gatsby: Jay Gatsby’s desire to rekindle his romance with Daisy Buchanan conflicts with Tom Buchanan’s determination to maintain his marriage and social status, leading to dramatic confrontations and tragic outcomes.
• Use Timing to Increase Tension: Time constraints can significantly raise the tension in a story. A ticking clock scenario, where the protagonist has a limited amount of time to achieve their goal, naturally increases the pressure and heightens conflict.
• 24: Each season of the show represents 24 hours in real-time, with protagonist Jack Bauer racing against the clock to thwart terrorist plots.
• Incorporate Subplots: Subplots can add layers of conflict to your main storyline. A subplot might involve a secondary character’s conflict that intersects with the protagonist’s main goal, creating additional obstacles or complications.
• A Game of Thrones: the multiple subplots—such as Jon Snow’s challenges at the Wall, Arya Stark’s journey, and the political intrigue in King’s Landing—interweave and build upon the central conflicts, adding depth and complexity to the narrative.
• Make Conflict Personal: The most compelling conflicts are often those that hit closest to home for your characters. When the stakes are personal—when the conflict affects the protagonist’s identity, relationships, or deepest values—it becomes more intense and emotionally resonant. This kind of conflict can lead to profound character development and memorable storytelling.
• Breaking Bad: Walter White’s personal conflict over his transformation from a mild-mannered teacher into a ruthless drug kingpin creating tension that drives the entire series.
• Escalate the Conflict Gradually: Start with smaller conflicts that gradually build in intensity. This keeps the reader engaged and allows the story to develop naturally. Early conflicts might be minor, setting the stage for more significant challenges later on. By the climax, the conflict should reach its peak, forcing the protagonist to confront their greatest challenge.
• The Lord of the Rings: the journey starts with small skirmishes and builds up to the epic battle for Middle-earth, with Frodo’s internal struggle with the ring paralleling the external conflict.

EXAMPLES OF CONFLICT IN ACTION

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: The protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, faces external conflict against the oppressive government and the deadly nature of the Hunger Games. She also experiences internal conflict as she struggles with the morality of killing to survive and protecting those she loves.
• Breaking Bad: Walter White’s internal conflict drives much of the story, as he battles between his desire to provide for his family and the criminal life he adopts to do so. This internal struggle is compounded by external conflicts with law enforcement, rival drug dealers, and his own family.
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Atticus Finch faces conflict with the racially prejudiced society of the American South while defending an innocent black man accused of raping a white woman. The external conflict with the community is mirrored by the internal conflict Atticus faces in maintaining his moral integrity in the face of widespread hatred.
• Star Wars: A New Hope: Luke Skywalker’s journey is filled with conflict, from his personal struggle to understand his identity and destiny to the external battles against the Empire. The iconic lightsaber duel between Luke and Darth Vader is a physical manifestation of the deeper, more personal conflict between father and son.

CONCLUSION 

Conflict is the core of your story. By understanding the different types of conflict and employing strategies to raise the stakes, you can create a narrative that is both engaging and emotionally resonant. Remember, conflict doesn’t just drive the plot—it reveals character, deepens themes, and keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Whether your story is a quiet character study or an epic adventure, mastering the art of conflict will elevate your writing to new heights. 

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