The good news? Your discomfort isn\u2019t for nothing. In fact, a central conflict is the first and foremost ingredient in writing compelling stories. The aim of this guide is to show you how to include it in your writing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll cover: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The definition of the term ‘central conflict’<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The different types of central conflict: internal, external, and the various subcategories<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Our tips and tricks for creating a central conflict <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Frequently asked questions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
So, what is a central conflict, and how do you use it to craft a propulsive narrative in your stories? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Is Central Conflict? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Central conflict is when a main character\u2019s strongest desire is met by an equally strong internal or external obstacle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best way I\u2019ve seen this explained is in Immediate Fiction<\/em> by Jerry Cleaver (who as you might guess, is all about getting stories moving, fast). Cleaver states, \u2018to create conflict, the kind that\u2019s needed to move story, you must have two elements \u2014 a want and an obstacle\u2019. In other words: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want + Obstacle = CONFLICT<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simple, right? However, there is one condition. The character\u2019s \u2018want\u2019 and \u2018obstacle\u2019 both have to be strong, so strong that they\u2019ll fight tooth and nail to beat each other. If either the want or the obstacle is weak or unbalanced, the conflict will be too, and the driving force of the story will suffer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apply this idea to any classic story, and you get the central conflict definition above. But why is central conflict so important? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"central-conflict\"](\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/central-conflict.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat Is The Purpose Of Central Conflict? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The purpose of central conflict<\/a> is two-fold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At a micro level, your main conflict is the problem your character is trying to solve, starting with the story\u2019s inciting incident <\/a>and resulting in their actions (or inaction). So, conflict in a story guides your plot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zooming out to a macro level, your character\u2019s actions<\/a> in the face of their want and obstacle are what drive the narrative. It\u2019s why your main character should own the central conflict: because they\u2019re in the driver\u2019s seat of your narrative, and as readers, we view your story\u2019s progression through them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why does this matter? Well, Cleaver\u2019s got a nifty equation for that too: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conflict + Action + Resolution = STORY<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A major central conflict is one of the core elements of successful storytelling. Conflict forces characters to act, and these actions show us who they are, what they value, and how they think \u2014 particularly in adverse situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without conflict, nothing happens, and we get bored. There are no stakes, no reason for readers to invest their time or emotions, and no payoff. Without conflict, we disengage. So, we need the push-and-pull of a main character propelled into action against a staunchly opposed force. It\u2019s what gets and keeps us reading. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Different Types Of Central Conflict <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Central conflict can be divided into two categories: internal and external conflicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
External conflict is when a main character is set against another character, society, technology, nature, or even powers like fate or supernatural forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, internal conflict is usually a form of self-conflict, which sees a character in opposition with themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Internal Conflict <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Character Vs. Self <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
When the central conflict of a story is between the main character and themselves, it\u2019s often with their own mind (eg. a moral conflict), or specific to mental health (trauma, addiction etc).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Internal conflict is often used to shape the narrative of a literary or dramatic character in novels where the focus is on character development over plot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the case of speculative fiction, these internal conflicts can even be within sub-genres like werewolf tales, where characters may fight against their full-moon affliction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s often one main internal conflict in a story, which is generally only resolved at the very end<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples: <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- A classic example of character vs. self as a central conflict is Hamlet<\/em>, where the play\u2019s titular protagonist wrestles with deciding whether to fulfil his dead father\u2019s wish and kill his murderous uncle. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Another is Rule of Wolves<\/em> by Leigh Bardugo, where Nikolai is the charming king with a demon inside, and Zoya is his beautiful but bitter army general, wrestling with childhood trauma as a young woman. This is a good example of dual points of view wherein characters\u2019 internal conflicts contrast. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"main-conflict\"](\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/main-conflict.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nExternal Conflict <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Character Vs. Character <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The character vs. character central conflict is a tale as old as every tale ever; it\u2019s why we love hero underdogs and love to hate dastardly villains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In many cases, this acts as the story’s central conflict. And while this conflict is routinely depicted as the fight between good and evil, it\u2019s also used to depict opposing forces in everything from romantic dramas, to soap operas, and crime thrillers (think the textbook serial-killer antagonist).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples: <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Scott Lynch\u2019s The Lies of Locke Lamora<\/em> is a character vs. character conflict where master thief Locke swears vengeance on the gang boss who murdered his childhood friends. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- In the Throne of Glass<\/em> series by Sarah J. Maas, the protagonist, Celeana\/Aelin faces off against four villains. This gives the seven-book series the room to pursue each conflict, with other characters also layering their own. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Character Vs. Society <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
An obvious example of this central conflict is a character working against a dystopian<\/a> government or institution eg. the law, but it can also include pressure from societal norms and traditions, or alternatively, taboos. The protagonist in these scenarios is usually an outsider; a rebel who sits apart from the collective, resisting society\u2019s demands to uphold the status quo \u2014 sometimes violently.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples: <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- A classic example is 1984<\/em> by George Orwell, where Winston\u2019s job is to rewrite history in a chillingly-envisioned London, under the control of the totalitarian government, The Party. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Brandon Sanderson\u2019s The Final Empire<\/em> is another epic fantasy. Here, the Skaa live in misery as slaves under the thousand-year-old Lord Ruler\u2019s empire, until a rebel escapes his prison and starts a revolution. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Character Vs. Technology <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
In a character vs. technology central conflict, the enemy is science and progress, or the pursuit of it eg. inventions (like robots or artificial intelligence) evolving beyond human control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These stories entertain philosophical questions of morality, humanity and consciousness, and religion, with scientists often accused of \u2018playing God\u2019. As technology continues to advance, such tales can feel topical, even cautionary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples: <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- In Mary Shelley\u2019s Frankenstein<\/em>, the primary theme of creation is told through Dr. Frankenstein, where character vs. technology is his conflict; this is in contrast with the major central conflict for the monster (character vs. society). <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- I, Robot <\/em>by Isaac Asimov is an influential collection of short stories within this conflict, and also science fiction. He defines the Three Laws of Robotics that protect humans, and then pushes them to their limits. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Character Vs. Nature <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
When your character\u2019s battle is with the environment, weather or wildlife, it\u2019s a nature conflict. In the past, this was often centred on the sea or deserted islands, with the challenge of survival against an untamed, unbeatable force. For a main character struggling alone, you can also layer external and internal conflict. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples: <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- In terms of classics, you can\u2019t go past Herman Melville\u2019s Moby Dick<\/em>, where Ahab\u2019s obsession with the whale that claimed his leg drives him to set sail to hunt the animal down, at all costs. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Another sci-fi example is The Martian<\/em> by Andy Weir, which sees astronaut Mark stranded alone on Mars, struggling to survive until Earth\u2019s next mission touches down on the red planet. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"external-conflict\"](\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/external-conflict.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nCharacter Vs. Fate <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Character vs. fate is a well-trodden central conflict, beloved in Greek myth with stories of characters, deities and prophecies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a conflict, it\u2019s effective at exploring determinism vs. free will for protagonists on seemingly pre-ordained paths. Can they escape their fortune? Will they try? Or will they just wait for fate to claim them, like in the old Greek tragedies? These questions captivate us still. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples: <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The Wheel of Time<\/em> by Robert Jordan is a high fantasy example of character vs. fate, where Moiraine searches for the prophesied Dragon Reborn, humanity\u2019s weapon against the Dark One. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The concept (and conflict) in Kristin Cashore\u2019s \u2018Graceling\u2019 is that Katsa is born with a killing Grace \u2014 a rare, exceptional skill \u2014 and must rebel against the king exploiting her fate for a deadly advantage. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Character Vs. Supernatural <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
A favourite for writers of speculative fiction, the supernatural conflict is all about the unknown (or partially known). This is where stereotypical ideas of ghosts, witches, vampires, werewolves, zombies, gods (and demons), superheroes, and aliens come out to play in the arena of the strange or inexplicable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples: <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Jennifer Saint\u2019s Ariadne<\/em> is a feminist retelling of the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, also adding gods and demigods to the plot<\/a>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Expanse<\/em> series by James S. A. Corey is set in a world where humanity has colonised the solar system. And while there are lots of different conflicts, Captain Jim Holden\u2019s is with a mind-bending alien. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How To Create A Central Conflict For Your Story <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- The Expanse<\/em> series by James S. A. Corey is set in a world where humanity has colonised the solar system. And while there are lots of different conflicts, Captain Jim Holden\u2019s is with a mind-bending alien. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- The concept (and conflict) in Kristin Cashore\u2019s \u2018Graceling\u2019 is that Katsa is born with a killing Grace \u2014 a rare, exceptional skill \u2014 and must rebel against the king exploiting her fate for a deadly advantage. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Another sci-fi example is The Martian<\/em> by Andy Weir, which sees astronaut Mark stranded alone on Mars, struggling to survive until Earth\u2019s next mission touches down on the red planet. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- I, Robot <\/em>by Isaac Asimov is an influential collection of short stories within this conflict, and also science fiction. He defines the Three Laws of Robotics that protect humans, and then pushes them to their limits. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Brandon Sanderson\u2019s The Final Empire<\/em> is another epic fantasy. Here, the Skaa live in misery as slaves under the thousand-year-old Lord Ruler\u2019s empire, until a rebel escapes his prison and starts a revolution. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- In the Throne of Glass<\/em> series by Sarah J. Maas, the protagonist, Celeana\/Aelin faces off against four villains. This gives the seven-book series the room to pursue each conflict, with other characters also layering their own. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Another is Rule of Wolves<\/em> by Leigh Bardugo, where Nikolai is the charming king with a demon inside, and Zoya is his beautiful but bitter army general, wrestling with childhood trauma as a young woman. This is a good example of dual points of view wherein characters\u2019 internal conflicts contrast. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- A classic example of character vs. self as a central conflict is Hamlet<\/em>, where the play\u2019s titular protagonist wrestles with deciding whether to fulfil his dead father\u2019s wish and kill his murderous uncle. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
![\"internal-conflict\"](\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/internal-conflict.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n