Plotting with Conflicts
The stories that keep people turning pages are filled with unexpected twists and turns. Each twist ratchets up the tension, intensifying the underlying conflict. Conflict is the backbone of effective storytelling.
Conflicts can be external, like surviving a blizzard while alone in the forest, or internal, say, a loss of faith; they can be physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, or some combination thereof. Through the course of your story, the conflict has to deepen, your characters facing increasingly difficult obstacles. These escalations correlate to the plot twists that punctuate your storyline, adding delicious complexity while controlling the pace.
Since conflict is the heart of storytelling, you need to determine the one seminal battle that drives your story. What do protagonists long for and what are they willing to do to achieve their goals? And what will antagonists do to stop them? As espionage author John le Carré put it, “‘The cat sat on the mat’ is not a story. ‘The cat sat on the dog’s mat’ is a story.”
Once you know the scope of your conflict, you’re ready to plot.
Defining “Plot Twists” and TRDs
“Plot twists” is an umbrella term referring to three specific plotting strategies guaranteed to captivate your readers with their I-can’t-wait-to-see-what-happens-next unpredictability.
1. something unexpected, but not the opposite.2. something unexpected, and3. something that adds urgency and dread to the story.
