Building Your Core: Internal and External Core Conflicts

When you're talking about plot, the core conflict is, naturally, at the center of everything. It's what the book is about, the whole reason your characters are doing their thing. It's the conflict in your one-line pitch, and probably takes up space in your query hook.

In The Shifter, it's all about saving the sister. Other stuff happens, but that core problem is what's driving Nya to act on every page.

But there's also another core conflict. Nya's struggle with her powers.

Wait! you say? How can you have two core conflicts?

Because one is the external conflict, and one is the internal conflict.

External Core Conflict
The external core conflict is the problem your protag is facing on the outside. The meat of your story. Resolving this issue is the end of the book, discovering you have this issue is pretty close to the front of the book. The opening pages and the inviting event all lead to this issue.

This conflict is a great guide for figuring out what your plot is. Look at this problem, and think about ways your protag might trying to resolve it. Then look at those ways, and think of things you're protag might do to make those things happen. You can work backward from the end, or look at the smaller steps that would lead up to this issue.

If you have an idea for a scene, you can look at the protag's goal and ask if it connects to, or gets the protag to, this core conflict. If yes, you know you're probably on the right track plot-wise. If no, there's a good chance the scene is heading off on a tangent.

Internal Core Conflict
The internal core conflict is the problem the protag is facing on the inside. It's most often a personal struggle that deals with the protag's belief system in some way. This is the conflict that will probably follow the character arc and allow them to grow however they need to in the story.

Your internal core conflict will likely be at odds with your external core conflict. It's what's going to make all those choices you throw at your protag harder. It will want to lead the protag astray. It will keep them from whatever they're after that will make them happen.

Crashing Them Together
The real fun comes when you turn your internal and external conflicts on each other. Because when both are fighting to get the protag to do it their way, it helps keep the story unpredictable. There are always two different paths your protag can take, and both are paths they're being yanked down by the core conflicts. Since the protag needs to solve both conflicts, you have a constant tug of war. and since each conflict will have consequences (both externally and internally), you keep your stakes escalating.

Using Core Conflicts to Plot
You might try pinpointing these two conflicts and brainstorming some ideas on how to resolve them. Think about what your protag might do and why. Ask yourself:

External Conflict:

• What is the main problem your protag needs to resolve? (the core external conflict)
• What are five things your protag might do to resolve this issue? (possible major plot points of the story)
• What are five things your protag might do to achieve each of those five things? (possible goals to drive the plot to those major events)

Internal Conflict:

• What is the internal problem your protag is facing? (personal self doubt, uncertainty, or flaw they have to overcome)
• What are five ways in which this inner problem can put your protag in an impossible choice? (potential major character growth points)
• What are five ways in which this inner problem can directly oppose one of the external problems? (potential high-stakes moments that could be act enders or set pieces)

The goal is to brainstorm, because you never know what thought might trigger the perfect plot twist. If you find something you like, but it doesn't really fit, start asking how you can make it fit, or what tweaks you can make that would allow it to work in your story.

Don't force anything, but don't be afraid to go several layers deep into any problem. And keep looking for ways to bring that external and internal conflict together and making your protag choose. Growth comes from sacrifice and struggle, and having them sacrifice one side for the other will have long-lasting repercussions -- and great plot ideas.