Transcript:

Pop quiz! What is the most important thing a story needs? It’s not strong characters, intriguing settings, or a fantastical concept. It’s conflict, the drama, the stakes, the throwdowns, the heartbreaks. We need to make our characters struggle, even suffer, and we do that through conflict.

Here’s the deal: that really cool character you created, the one with the flowing locks and hot bod, needs to grow throughout the story. And how do people grow? By overcoming obstacles, by working through challenges, and by putting one foot in front of the other.

So today, let’s take a deep dive into conflict, what it is, how to use it, and what not to do when incorporating it into your story. Because if there’s no conflict, there’s no story. If your characters are coasting, your readers are skimming.

Hi, I’m C. Sloan Lewis, your virtual writing coach, and my goal is to help you not just improve your writing, but to support you as a writer. Welcome to my channel!

First, let’s break down the different categories of conflict:

Most importantly, there is internal conflict, which is when your character is struggling with something internally. Whether it’s self-doubt, overconfidence, childhood trauma, or being in love with someone they shouldn’t be, internal conflict is going to be interconnected with your character’s fatal flaw, and by the end of the story, they have to have resolved their inner conflict, at least a little bit.

Then, we have external conflict, which is character vs. something outside of themselves. The list includes character vs. character, vs. nature, vs. society, vs. technology, vs. supernatural, and vs. fate.

The protagonist fighting off a villain is character vs. character. The protagonist trying to survive in the wilderness, a post-apocalyptic wasteland, or a bear attack is character vs. nature. The protagonist standing up to their racist neighbors, going against a totalitarian government, or rejecting gender norms is character vs. society. The protagonist fighting killer robots or trying to escape the Matrix is character vs. technology. The protagonist, stuck in a haunted house or running from a werewolf, is character vs. supernatural. And the protagonist trying to run from their destiny, change a prophecy, or even go against their inherent nature is character vs. fate.

So why is conflict the engine of fiction? Because it moves everything forward. It gives your characters a reason to act, your plot a reason to exist, and your readers a reason to turn the page. Without conflict, there’s nothing to resolve. And if there’s nothing to resolve, why are we here?

Let’s talk more specifically about the types of conflict and how to use them in your writing.

Internal conflict, like we mentioned earlier, is about the battle within. Your character doubts themselves, wants something they can’t have, or wrestles with two competing desires. Maybe they crave acceptance but fear vulnerability. Maybe they want revenge, but they’re not a killer. This type of conflict adds emotional depth—and it should evolve over time. Your character’s internal journey is just as important as their external one.

Interpersonal conflict is what happens between people. And no, it’s not just yelling matches and breakups (though that can be exciting). It’s when two characters have competing goals, values, or needs. It can be subtle, like tension between friends, or explosive, like a betrayal. This kind of conflict adds tension to scenes and can challenge your character’s beliefs, forcing them to grow—or fall apart.

Then there’s good ol’ fashioned external conflict. This is where your world throws everything it’s got at your protagonist. They’re running out of time. The villain is closing in. The weather turns against them. A twist changes everything. External conflict tests your characters in concrete, physical ways—but the best stories combine this with internal and interpersonal layers. So while your character is fighting the villain, they’re also confronting their own fear of failure and trying to protect the people they love.

Now, how do you raise the stakes?

Always ask: “What happens if they fail?”

What’s the cost? What do they stand to lose—physically, emotionally, socially? Are they going to die? Lose a friend? Be exposed? Let someone down? The higher the cost, the more we care. And here’s the trick: you don’t have to go big right away. Let it build. Let the reader feel the tension ramping up. Stakes that grow over time are far more satisfying than ones that start at eleven and stay there.

Let’s move into a couple quick tips and common pitfalls.

First, don’t just throw conflict in for the sake of “drama.” If your characters are arguing just to argue, it’ll feel hollow. Conflict should come from character goals—when two people want different things, or when the world challenges what your character believes. It should matter.

Second, escalation is your best friend. Start small. Build up. Think of conflict like a ladder. Every rung should be harder to climb than the last. This helps with pacing and makes your story feel like it’s going somewhere.

All right, now it’s your turn!

What’s the biggest conflict in your current work-in-progress? Is it internal, interpersonal, or external—or some delicious combination of all three? Let me know in the comments!

And if you want to learn more about how conflict connects to the bigger picture of your story, check out my video on Plot vs. Story—I’ll link it right here. It’s all about how to structure your narrative so your conflict isn’t just exciting, it’s meaningful.

But that’s all from me today. You’ve got some writing to do, so I’ll see you in the next video! Ta-ta!