McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Conflict question and maybe something about scenes and sequels....

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arianne:
In all of the "craft" books i've read, conflict seems to be the number one rule of any book. My problem is that I'm not quite sure how I would define "conflict" as such. There are examples in the books, but some of them are confusing.

Would a fight with a friend be conflict? Would giving someone the cold shoulder be conflict? Is holding a gun to someone's head conflict? Is there some kind of conflict that does not include weapons and/or fighting?

Often when I'm writing I don't think of conflict first. I write out the scene as it plays in my head and then sort of go back and try to find the conflict (this is pretty much the method of the detective who thinks he knows who the murderer is, finding clues to said person's guilt in every shadow and speck of dust: I really have no idea if what I call conflict is really conflict or just me thinking it's conflict)

This brings me a bit to scenes and sequels (Hello, JB!) I don't think of my stories in terms of scenes and sequels either. I don't, for example, think: someone crashed into Harry's car just as he was running away from the cops<end of scene--(denied!!), start of sequel> Harry felt shock jolt through his body as he began to feel pain in his head <emotion part of sequel>...<reasoning part of sequel>....etc etc. I usually just think, "someone hit his car, and he felt shocked, and then he realized he still had to run from the police" without all the <> bits.

Is there something I should change with my story thinking process? Any tips or advice?

the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
If it works for you there's no call to change it.  Plenty of good writers give writing advice, and one thing reading a lot of that makes clear is that there are lots and lots of ways of writing good books.

OZ:
From your mention of scenes and sequels I assume that you've read Jim's live journal. His definition of conflict is someone trying to keep your protagonist from obtaining his or her goal (not a direct quote but close). It could even be a caring but misguided friend that is trying to talk you out of what you are doing. All of those things you mentioned could be conflict but might not be. If the reason someone is giving you the cold shoulder to make you a social outcast which would then hinder or prevent you in attaining your goal then it could be conflict. If your fight with your friend is them trying to stop you from reaching your goal then it's conflict. Conflict does not have to refer to weapons and/or fighting.

As far as your thinking process goes if it's not working for you then adjust it but if it's working fine the way it is, I wouldn't change a thing. (The same thing Neurovore already said)

the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:

--- Quote from: OZ on July 06, 2012, 02:26:00 PM ---From your mention of scenes and sequels I assume that you've read Jim's live journal. His definition of conflict is someone trying to keep your protagonist from obtaining his or her goal (not a direct quote but close).

--- End quote ---

That covers the kind of plot that is often described as Man vs. Man, but one can, I reckon, get conflict also out of Man vs. Nature or Man vs. Himself.   

("There are only three fundamental plots.  Hamlet, Pride and Prejudice and Belisarius.")

arianne:
Just curious...does everyone else start stories with conflict? Is it just me that's conflictly challenged?

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