Ego-related conflict, such as suffering a humiliation, strikes deep. It's an attack on one of the character's most important basic needs. In response, the character may lash out (fight), go silent (freeze), or cut her visit short (flight)—whatever response fits her personality, emotional range, and way of coping with being made vulnerable.
Regardless of her reaction, readers will connect to the pain she feels because no one is immune to ego-based hurts.#1984•
A loss of control in the real world can be devastating because we think we should have seen what was coming—anticipated it and had an escape plan ready. As with ego-related conflict, we categorize our inability to control every aspect of life as a personal failure and falsely believe there's something wrong with us.#1991•
This type of conflict can also test a character's commitment. What happens when they lose the one thing that's been motivating them to continue? If their lead witness in a trial is murdered, or their benefactor withdraws support, or an adoption falls through, will they forge ahead or throw in the towel?#1990•
Part of the arc for these characters is about discovering what they truly want. The removal of an advantage creates a crossroads moment where a decision must be made. Will they try to regain the loss so they can keep moving toward their objective? Or do they recognize that, without the advantage, the goal has lost its allure?#1985•
Not every match up ends in success, either, but failures are just as important to character development. A misstep can lead to complications and generate uncomfortable emotions like powerlessness, insecurity, and disappointment. These emotions are unpleasant, so the character becomes motivated to avoid them.
To understand what went wrong, they'll take a hard look at their strengths and weaknesses, and analyze any beliefs, needs, fears, or biases that might have impaired their decision-making.
If they identify something holding them back, they'll make changes so future outcomes are more favorable.#1983•
CONFLICT ADDS TENSION
It's common to confuse conflict and tension because they're often used together to deliver a one-two punch. The difference between them is subtle, but important:
Conflict is a force that stands between your characters and what they want most.
Tension is the feeling of anticipation surrounding what will happen next.#1980•
Strong tension follows a pattern of pull-and-release—meaning, you let the tension build until it reaches its peak then resolve it by answering some of those unspoken questions.#1989•
This fear of the unknown can unnerve your character and become so unbearable that they act impulsively and make things worse. Imagine that your protagonist is embroiled in a tight political race. Waiting for her rival to slander her has become too much for our politician, so she launches a proactive strike and releases old video footage of her opponent's drinking and debauchery.#1988•
It's been said that the best villains don't know they're villains; they think they're the hero of the story. And this is true because a well-crafted baddie has his own moral code. Compared to the protagonist's, it's twisted and corrupt, but it still provides guardrails that guide him through the story.#1981•
One of the biggest mistakes authors make with their villains is not giving them their own origin story. A character who is evil with no real reason behind their actions or motivations isn't realistic, making them stereotypical and a bit…meh.
To avoid this trap, know your villain's beginnings. Why are they the way they are? What trauma, genetics, or negative influencers have molded them into their current state? Why are they pursuing their goal—what basic human need is lacking that achieving the goal will satisfy? The planning and research for this kind of character is significant, but it will pay off in the form of a memorable and one-of-a-kind villain who will give your hero a run for his money and intrigue readers.#1992•
Vulnerability is appealing to readers, as is the unpredictability that comes with a villain who could go either way. We also like the idea that people can change, that even the baddest of baddies can be redeemed, because it means anyone can be saved. Darth Vader, Walter White, Beauty's Beast—redeemed villains like these give us hope for ourselves and the world, so providing the possibility of redemption can be a good thing.#1986•
Avoidance
When it comes to dragging out conflict, we've saved the most obvious and realistic technique for last. Most people hate confrontation and seek ways to avoid it. And we know what happens when problems aren't dealt with: they fester, and complications multiply, making things even harder to fix.
The act of avoidance itself can generate conflict as the character goes to great lengths to keep from facing the issue. This technique gets high points for both authenticity and its tendency to create more problems, so if avoidance fits your character's personality, be sure to take advantage of it.#1987•