Creating Conflict in Stories: A Writer's Guide

Conflict is the engine of story. Without it, you have description and exposition, but not drama. Every memorable story, from ancient myths to modern novels, is built on conflict that challenges characters and keeps readers engaged.

The Four Types of Conflict

1. Character vs. Character

The most common type: two people want incompatible things. Protagonist vs. antagonist. Lover vs. lover. Parent vs. child. The key is both characters must have valid motivations—even the villain believes they're right.

• Make both sides sympathetic when possible
• Give the antagonist a believable worldview
• Create personal stakes between the characters
• Let the conflict reveal character

2. Character vs. Self

Internal conflict is the battle within. Fear vs. desire. Duty vs. passion. The person they are vs. the person they want to be. Internal conflict creates depth and drives character arcs.

• The character's want often conflicts with their need
• Past trauma creates present obstacles
• Moral dilemmas force impossible choices
• Internal conflict should manifest externally

3. Character vs. Society

The individual against the system. Laws, traditions, expectations, or power structures that oppose the character. This conflict often explores themes of justice, freedom, and identity.

• Show the society's rules through lived experience
• Give the society defenders who believe in the system
• Make the personal stakes concrete and specific
• Explore the costs of conformity and rebellion

4. Character vs. Nature/Environment

Survival against the elements, disasters, wild animals, or inhospitable settings. The conflict is impersonal—nature doesn't hate the character. But it's relentless.

• The environment should feel like a character
• Combine with internal conflict for depth
• Use setting to test character traits
• Show human resilience or fragility

Layering Conflicts

The best stories layer multiple types of conflict:

• External conflict (plot) forces internal conflict (character arc)
• Interpersonal conflicts create obstacles to the main goal
• Internal conflicts make external challenges harder
• Subplots introduce additional conflicts that echo themes

Making Conflict Meaningful

Conflict for its own sake is empty. Make it matter:

• Clear stakes: What does the character gain or lose? Make it specific and significant.
• Real opposition: The obstacle should be powerful enough that failure is possible.
• Personal connection: The conflict should challenge the character's specific weaknesses.
• Escalation: Conflicts should intensify over the course of the story.
• Resolution that changes things: The outcome should matter—things are different after.

Conflict in Every Scene

Every scene should have some form of conflict. Not necessarily violence or shouting—conflict can be subtle:

• Opposing goals in a conversation
• Information that one character withholds
• Tension between what characters say and what they feel
• Competing demands on a character's time or attention
• Internal doubt during important moments

Common Mistakes

• Easily solved conflicts: If the problem could be fixed with a conversation, it's not strong enough.
• External-only conflict: Stories need internal conflict too. What does the protagonist struggle with inside?
• Villains without motivation: "They're evil" isn't enough. What do they want and why?
• Conflict that doesn't escalate: Each attempt to resolve the conflict should make things more complicated.

Related Resources

• Building Tension →
• Character Development →
• Writing Dialogue →