Conflict

  • Conflict,  Writing Technique

    Three Ways to Increase Tension in Your Story

    Tension is the thing that keeps your reader reading. Conflict can help build tension, but there are other ways to do so as well. Here are just a few. Raise the Stakes to Increase Tension Ugh! I remember hearing this phrase as a beginning writer and being befuddled. What are stakes? How do you raise them?  Easy peasy. Just think of it like this. Stakes are what your character has to lose. That’s all. Your main character should always have a type of death at stake. I can be physical death, psychological, professional, etc. They need to be risking more than a hangnail.  In order to get to this level,…

  • Conflict

    How Conflict is the Core of Your Story

    Conflict. I know that I’ve been beating a drum on conflict (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 conflict iceberg.…