Conflict

Conflict is the struggle a character goes through in pursuit of a goal. It's what makes it harder for her to accomplish a task or make a decision in the novel. It's at the core of every scene and what has to be overcome for the character to achieve her goal. It can be both external (a plot conflict) or internal (a character arc conflict). Basically, conflict is what makes things emotionally harder for the protagonist to make choices that affect the plot of the novel.

More information on conflict

• The Four Classic Conflict Types
• Building the Internal and External Core Conflicts
• A Guide for Inner Conflict That Makes Sense
• Adding Conflict to Your Scenes
• How to Escalate Conflict in Your Novel
• How Conflict Isn't All About Fighting
• Goals-Conflicts-Stakes: Why You Need All Three

See all articles on conflict

Related topics: core conflict, goals, inner conflict, tension, stakes