Conflict. I know that I’ve been beating a drum on conflict (here, and here), and I’m here to do it again. It’s important. Alright?  Conflict is the je ne sais quoi that keeps your reader turning the pages. You need to build conflict into every scene. What’s more, that conflict needs to move the plot forward.  You can’t just have Johnny and Aunt Janice arguing about what salt and pepper shakers to use (unless you’re writing a cozy mystery about who is stealing pepper shakers). The conflict should build character, reveal backstory (just a little), or add to the plot that you’re building. Arguments are just the tip of the…