What’s Your Problem? Hooking Readers with Conflict
If you were taught how to write stories in school, chances are you learned about the four types of conflict: person vs. person, person vs. nature, person vs. society, and person vs. self.
For most of us sitting down to write a book, we’re note thinking to ourselves, “Gee, I think this plot needs a little person vs. person conflict right now.” Or, “You know what this scene is missing? Some person vs. self drama. That’ll kick things up a notch.”
But here’s the thing: if you are a good storyteller, you’re probably doing this intuitively. You know deep down that conflict drives the plot. It drives the development of character. It drives the theme. The fact is, as terrible as conflict can be in real life, it is at the heart of every powerful story. If nothing ever went wrong for our characters, their journeys would be unrelatable, and therefore, uninspiring.
The next time you are nodding off in the middle of a chapter, stop and ask yourself: why is this boring? Is it possible that things are going a little too smoothly for your characters? Is there a wrench you could throw at them to drive the stakes up and reignite your interest in the moment of the story?
Here’s a personal example: Chapter 7 of my WIP introduces a criminalist working in New York. My goals when writing the chapter were a) to show the reader a glimpse into his career, b) to let the reader know that his brother is in jail, and c) to tie this character to something that happened in an earlier chapter.
I could have had my man puttering about in his white coat, adding chemicals to test tubes and what-not. Instead, I chose to put him on the floor of the sterile lab, bleeding from a gash in his head. This scenario immediately piqued my interest as a writer (and reader by extension) because not only do I want to know how on earth he got there, but it also presents a delightful bit of irony – actively bleeding in a serology lab.
I was able to take the high stakes of the moment (Yikes, this character is bleeding! Something’s wrong!), and use it to establish my man’s sense of humor, his relationship with his co-workers, and the reason behind the gash in his head – which conveniently ties him to an earlier plot point in the story.
Conflict made things interesting.
Pick literally any good fiction book and you’ll find instances where the author has used conflict to serve their grand design. Here are a few recent-ish examples of conflict that I have enjoyed from a variety of genres:
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt: Tova is an old woman, working as a cleaner at an aquarium. We’re only a few pages in when BAM! She’s face-to-face with a Giant Pacific Octopus that’s gotten out of its tank.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan: Percy is having a relaxing October when a terrifying goddess shows up asking him to pet-sit. He is forced to battle undead Trojan soldiers while holding onto the end of a dog leash.
The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver: Literally opens with Colter Shaw running across a rotten, slippery dock towards a sinking ship that holds a missing woman. Talk about high stakes.
The Martian by Andy Weir: The first four lines are an ode to piquing the reader’s interest. I’ll leave it at that.
Funny Story by Emily Henry: Daphne & Miles’ romance is fueled by very painful break-ups. This is the springboard of not only their relationship, but also their own growth and development throughout the story.
Next time you’re feeling uninspired while writing a scene, give your character a problem to solve. Your leading lady is at the gym? What does she do when she realizes her old high school bully is a personal trainer there? Or worse, the trainer is the kid that SHE used to bully? Your main man is baking banana bread. That’s cool, but can he get it done before the scheduled power outage happens in his apartment building? Anyone can tame a dragon, but can your hero do it while mortally wounded? That sort of thing.
Remember, if you’re keeping yourself entertained as a writer, you’re probably doing the same for your readers. Have fun with it!
Writing Challenge
Pick a boring, everyday scene (working at the office, walking the dog, commuting, watching a football game on TV, etc.) and add conflict. How can you make yourself – and your reader – hang on every word? If you find your scene is taking a humorous turn, lean into it. Humor is a wonderful tool.