 Drama: July 22, 2020 Issue [#10268] |
This week: Layering and Patterning the Conflict Edited by: Joy  
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“The success of every novel — if it’s a novel of action — depends on the high spots. The thing to do is to say to yourself, “What are my big scenes?” and then get every drop of juice out of them. ”
P.G. Wodehouse
“The real story is not the plot, but how the characters unfold by it. ”
Vanna Bonta
“A quirky, colorful character overstays her welcome after a few chapters, unless trouble comes calling.”
James Scott Bell, Elements of Fiction Writing - Conflict and Suspense
“All good writing leaves something unexpressed.”
Christian Nestell Bovee
“You can’t write a novel all at once, any more than you can swallow a whale in one gulp. You do have to break it up into smaller chunks. But those smaller chunks aren’t good old familiar short stories. Novels aren’t built out of short stories. They are built out of scenes.”
Orson Scott Card
Hello, I am Joy , this week's drama editor. This issue is about layering and making the conflict stronger.
Please, note that there are no rules in writing, but there are methods that work for most of us most of the time.
The ideas and suggestions in my articles and editorials have to do with those methods. You are always free to find your own way and alter the methods to your liking.
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Welcome to the Drama newsletter
We all have known about, in creating the conflict, to put the main characters at a disadvantage and increasing the pressure on them in unpredictable ways throughout the story. Yet, in addition to that, there are many other ways to layer and strengthen our story’s conflict.
In broad terms, we can say there are four layers to a conflict in a fictional work These are:
1. External conflict: This is any threat that comes from the outside such as a volcano about to blow up or being hunted by a murderer or someone you love is being fooled into joining the wrong crowd.
2. Internal conflict: This is when the character fights or tries to come to terms with his own motivation, wishes, and dark side. These struggles are usually amplified with feelings of guilt.
3. Personal conflict: This is the kind of conflict that arises between two people, such as a parent and child, two partners, neighbors, friends, etc.
4. Political or social conflict: This can be getting back-stabbed by the government, groups, political parties or countries and facing a war, people versus the bureaucratic rule, or people versus technology.
The best stories mix all four conflicts together, as in War and Peace, The Tale of Two Cities, Jurassic Park, Handmaid’s Tale etc. But then, sometimes, due to our wild and vivid imaginations, a novel in unskilled hands has so much conflict that it mutilates or garbles its main storyline or theme in the mix. This can be a flaw we all need to be careful about. We can, however, remedy it by relating every aspect of the plot to either the storyline's theme or to the main conflict.
Then, other ways of layering the conflict exist, also. One of them has to do with picking the right environment or atmosphere; for example the conflict taking place in the most inopportune and uncomfortable time and place for the character or characters, such as putting Little Red Riding Hood in the dark woods.
Another is always looking at incidents through the character’s eyes.
 Considering their personality, what meaning do they give to what is happening?
Do the character’s way of seeing things change as the plot advances?
How does their knowledge of other people or things in the story play into the flow?
What about the allies and enemies? Can the character bring others into the fight?
How about the suspense of raising the stakes and making things worse and worse for the main character as the story progresses?
How about creating competition just when the main character thinks they have succeeded?
Plus, how about using two characters with opposing goals?
What about a background secret or an ongoing mystery for which the questions keep adding up?
Other elements that may have something to do with layering a conflict may be:
• Time conflicts: Such as different eras, as in the Outlander series, or two equally vital events occurring at the same time and the character can only attend one.
• Family Conflicts: These are a dime a dozen, from sibling rivalry, to in-laws, to power struggles among the family members, to divorce and custody matters, etc.
• Romantic Relationships: Obstacles keeping the lovers apart, love between enemies (Romeo and Juliet comes to mind), different backgrounds, attitudes, beliefs, etc.
Even after planning all of the above, we may need just a bit extra by adding tension to the quieter moments in our fiction, be it in tiny drops. For that, we probably won’t need a sword fight or anything too drastic, but in the quieter scenes, it is a good idea to remember that adding a bit of the darker emotions can heighten a character’s internal conflict, such as jealousy, guilt, envy, contempt etc. while the main character watches something else happening, something simple like a quarrel between servants.
Also, as writers, we mustn’t forget to tie all this and everything else to the main conflict. Otherwise, the additions will feel like extra arms on an octopus.
Although this editorial has been about layering and enhancing the conflict, a writer must never forget to create strong, well-crafted, and believable protagonists and antagonists by giving them flaws, something to fear, and something to desire.
Until next time! 
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Thank you for reading our newsletters and for supplying the editors with feedback and encouragement.
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 This Issue's Tip: Some emotions like frustration and love are not pure emotions, as they they have many other bits of feelings and past histories built in them. When using these emotions in strengthening the conflict in your story, make sure you research these emotions as related to your characters.
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Feedback for "Creating the Emotional Impact"
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glynisj
I copied the exercise. It's a great idea.
I am glad you found it helpful. Best wishes with all your work. :-
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