Crafting Discord in Narratives: A Guide
In the world of storytelling, we often steer clear of conflicts in real life, but they're the lifeblood of a good narrative. A writer thrives on the internal and external struggles that drive characters and generate tension and suspense. That's right; drama is all about conflict. And just like a heart that beats for screenwriting, conflict is at the very core.
Take a moment to look back at the last movie you watched, book you read, or game you played. The fascinating part that gripped your attention and kept you hanging on for more was the conflict: there was a challenge to be faced, a decision to be made, an obstacle to be overcome, and a problem to be solved.
The true test of any conflict a character faces is whether it demands courage. If a character seems terrified to achieve their ultimate desire, then the conflict isn't significant enough, and the viewers won't feel it; they'll just be watching.
Your Protagonist's conflict must be unique, potent, and emotionally resonant. Creating conflict in your story can be likened to tossing a pebble into a pond; it creates ripples that set the dominoes of cause and effect into motion.
In the The Write Journey course, we delve deep into 22 elements that define characters and stir conflict in a story. We explore different types of conflict, the problems they present, and strategies for crafting conflict.
While I can't give you explicit details about the 22 elements you'll find in "The Write Journey" course, I can provide you with general principles for character development and conflict creation in storytelling.
Character development normally involves several crucial elements that shape a character's journey and conflict: motivation, backstory, personality traits, conflict avoidance, emotional intelligence, flaws, and growth. Conflict can be categorized into internal, interpersonal, external, and cultural or social conflicts, and psychological conflicts.
To integrate these elements into your story, consider elements like character arc, dialogue and interaction, setting and environment, plot twists and turns, thematic resonance, character relationships, emotional resonance, risk and stakes, authenticity and relatability, and cohesive storytelling.
These elements can help you craft compelling characters and conflicts, even if they don't exactly align with "The Write Journey" course. For specific details, you'll need to consult resources directly from that course. Now, go forth and conquer the drama of storytelling!
In the realm of storytelling, mastering playwriting and entertainment often involves delving deep into strategies for creating conflict, as it is the heart of any gripping narrative – a heart that beats similarly for screenwriting. Similarly, by understanding and tackling various types of conflict, such as internal, interpersonal, external, and cultural or social conflicts, screenplay writers can craft resonant stories with potent and unique protagonist conflicts that resemble tossing a pebble into a pond, creating ripples that set the story into motion.
