Conflict: The Problem That Drives the Plot

A story's conflict is the struggle that keeps the plot moving.

Without a problem, there's no story. The conflict is the struggle a character faces, and it powers the whole plot. Conflicts come in a few common types. Character versus character: two people want different things, like two friends who both want to be team captain. Character versus nature: a character struggles against weather, animals, or the wilderness, like hikers caught in a blizzard.

Character versus self: a character battles a fear or a hard choice inside their own mind, like a boy deciding whether to admit he broke a window. Character versus society: a character pushes against a rule or group. To find the conflict, ask, 'What does the main character want, and what's standing in the way? ' The answer usually names the conflict and hints at what the climax will be.

• 1Conflict is the struggle that drives the plot.
• 2Types include versus character, nature, self, and society.
• 3Ask what the character wants and what blocks them.