Keeping it moving – Part 1: Borrow Conflict
The next several days going to deal with some techniques on how to keep it moving.
Are you feeling that? The dragging feeling? That’s what I felt when there was a lot of people in my story but not as much going on. Then I remember reading something from a Writer’s Digest article.
Conflict drives a story.
I looked at all the characters in my world and thought for a brief moment about their motivations. I discovered something. Every motivation, if examined individually, gave way to the character having his/her own agenda – and that agenda didn’t line up with the plan of the protagonist.
So here is how I kept the story moving:
1) I borrowed conflict from other characters. It’s not just the hero fighting certain opponents. It’s conflict from other characters within their own lives that keeps the story moving as well.
2) I borrowed conflict from the setting. I like the idea that the setting that I have provides constant conflict for the character in my world. It allows me to explore how the characters react to situations beyond the antagonist.
3) I borrowed conflict from within. I love seeing how the people in my world fight themselves. This conflict they produce when in a room alone is sometimes more captivating than the primal storyline against the antagonist.
Conflict is important. As a reader, I long for that. As a writer, I long to observe it and bring it to the surface.
Keep it moving with conflict! Keep writing.