Writing Lessons & Advice: Story Conflicts
- Katie Johns
- Mar 16
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 21
Since Christmas 2024, I started crafting my dream novel with the Tome Writing Toolkit! As it guided me into creating my story arc, I was encouraged to think about story conflict: the combination of what the protagonist wants and what makes the achievement difficult. Here is a bit about what the toolkit offered and the common types of conflicts identified across literature. As plot and conflict are intertwined, many of the conflicts will connect to plot types discussed in a previous lesson.
Internal motivation- Defined by Tome as: “something [the protagonist] wants to believe about themselves, something they want others to believe about them, feelings about relationships, loneliness, a desire for connection, prestige, love, identity, stability, or as basic as survival. Most stories revolve around one or two core ideas related to this motivation and it powers your story forward...This internal motivation is the heartbeat of your story: it’s why your protagonist perseveres despite trying circumstances or seemingly insurmountable obstacles. It’s why your character cares about what’s happening in your novel and therefore why your reader cares.”
External motivation- directly relates to story’s plot. The character is compelled to act by either events outside of their control or an opportunity to bring their internal desires to life.
Conflicts- common patterns for internal and external motivations
Person vs person- this one is self-explanatory; this kind of conflict is just protagonist against antagonist. Think David versus Goliath, superhero versus supervillan, nerd versus bully, good girl versus mean girl, cops versus robbers, and so on. This is a very common conflict type in storytelling and seen in formats like the hero’s journey or overcoming the monster.
Person vs self- In conflicts of this kind, the protagonist is at odds with themself in some way, fighting against beliefs, trauma, or other issues. Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a classic example. Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” is a good contemporary embodiment of a person vs self conflict too, particularly with lyrics like, “It's me, hi, I’m the problem it's me...” Stories following rebirth, coming-of-age, and maybe even quest formats, often use this conflict.
Person vs nature- this conflict puts the protagonist out in the elements or against nonhuman forces. Moby Dick, Life of Pi, Old Man and the Sea, and Into the Wild have this kind of conflict.
Person vs society- the protagonist confronts some element of existing constructs or traditions. Many dystopian stories, like Handmaid’s Tale or the Divergent series incorporate this kind of conflict.
Person vs fate- the protagonist deals with their destiny, calling, or deity; like Scrooge in Christmas Carol or Merida in Brave. This conflict could also be evident in rebirth, quest, or coming-of-age stories.
Person vs supernatural- conflict entails facing ghosts, ghouls, vampires, or any otherworldly monster or spirit. This one is frequented by many classic and contemporary writers of horror, like Steven King and Edgar Allan Poe.
Person vs technology- the main conflict is against science or technology, like Frankenstein or Terminator. Both person vs supernatural and technology conflicts could fit into overcoming monster story types.
Out of the toolkit’s many author quotes, it generated this Ray Bradbury quip in relation to this topic: “First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him.” Clarifying what my main character wants feels like a big step in my story plans coming together! I’m a bit closer to following my “hero” through the world/life/experiences I envision for them! If you’re in a planning stage yourself, I hope this perspective does the same for you! Even if you’re not planning or drafting anything at the moment, familiarity with the conflict types also comes in handy in literature study and discussion.
Hope this is more good direction for your reading and writing! Check out some of the other Creative Writing Lessons & Advice for more guidance!
If there’s a topic you want me to cover in the future, you’re welcome to reach out to me on the web chat features or socials!
Sources/further reading
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