Conflict is the fuel that fires fiction. People generally want life to go smoothly, without any hassles or problems. But stories without hassles and problems are B-O-R-I-N-G. Conflict sets stories ablaze.
Tension is the result of conflict. Tension is what your reader feels when s/he doesn’t know what is going to happen. With enough tension, readers will voraciously devour your pages to find out what comes next.
Far too many stories do not have enough conflict or tension. There are many ways to do it, and the underhanded, dastardly ones are sometimes the most fun.
1) INSULT and ARGUE—Even agreeable people don’t always agree. Ever argue with a friend? Try this: pick out a piece of dialogue in your WIP (work in progress). Strip it down to the words they say; cut out all attributions and movements. Even if the conversation is as simple as giving directions, have the characters argue about it. Throw insults back and forth. Curse and call each other names. Let their tempers flare. Now add the movements and attributions and insert it back into your story. Better? If it’s too much you can dial it back a bit, but see if the added conflict doesn’t enhance your story.
2) LET ’ER RIP—How often do you see a protagonist (we’ll call her “Prot”) feel like hitting someone? How many times did s/he almost do it, or nearly, or just about? Why hold back? This is fiction—let ’er rip! Have your meek, mousy librarian whack that B with an encyclopedia. Sure it will cause more problems, but that’s the whole point—added conflict! Here’s a great rule of thumb: Whenever you think of holding Prot (or any other character) back, go over the top instead. Not only will it ramp up conflict and make your story better, it will be a lot more fun to write.
3) KEEP ’EM GUESSIN’—That’s basically what tension—and micro-tension—is all about. Mysteries as a genre are great, because they leave clues to lead the reader on, which keeps them turning pages. You can add mystery to any form of fiction in as many ways as a writer can imagine. Paint an idyllic scene and say it’s “almost perfect.” In his/her own mind the reader will wonder, “why isn’t it perfect?” and keep reading to find the answer. And for goodness sake, don’t answer it for them! If Prot is thinking of jumping from a moving car, don’t add, “She didn’t.” Keep ’em guessin’.
4) KEEP YOUR CHARACTER IN THE DARK—Want to put your reader on the edge of their seat? Show them a danger Prot doesn’t see or tell them a secret Prot doesn’t know. Then send Prot through an ordinary, mundane scene, oblivious to the danger. Readers will be biting their fingernails, screaming in their heads, “Watch out for. . .” The best kind of tension is not on the page, but inside the reader.
5) LIE—A good lie, told by someone s/he trusts, can not only create conflict by leading Prot down the wrong path, but will also build conflict with the trusted character throughout the story. Let the reader know the lie, but keep Prot in the dark, and you’ve added even more layers of tension until the truth comes out. Have the trusted character lie not only to Prot, but also to Prot’s SO or BFF, set them against one another, and you’ve created conflict that can carry a story.
Lying to the reader can be done, too, usually through an unreliable narrator. But it’s tricky. If you break the reader’s trust s/he may never read a story of yours again.
6) STAB YOUR CHARACTER IN THE BACK—Betrayal is the ultimate plot twist. Build up to it. Entwine Prot with her SO or BFF until they are really close and intimate with their trust, then plunge in that knife. And don’t just do it halfway, bury it all the way to the hilt. Sleep with her husband. Turn him over to the mob, or the police. Kidnap her baby. Sell him into slavery.
(*Spoiler Alert*) In Lords of the North, Bernard Cornwell’s third book of his Saxon series, Uhtred, the protagonist, rescues Guthred, a minor king held in slavery. Uhtred builds Guthred’s confidence, creates an army for him, and teaches him how to be a king. How does Guthred show his gratitude? By turning Uhtred over to slavers, who sell him to a brutal master. I hated it—and couldn’t put it down. Build up trust, then plunge in the knife.
Can you overdo it? How much conflict and tension is enough? Let’s be clear: There is NEVER enough conflict and tension in a story. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER EVER!
To improve your story, and your writing, find ways to increase conflict and tension. No matter how mean you have to be, nor how dirty, lowdown, and underhanded you have to treat Prot, Always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS look for ways to increase conflict and tension. Besides, being dastardly is part of the fun!
