What is conflict in a story?
- Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces.
- It drives the plot and creates tension.
- Classic types: character vs character, self, society, nature, fate, technology.
- External and internal conflict often combine.
- No conflict means no story.
Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces that drives a story — the friction between what a character wants and what stands in the way. It is the engine of plot and the source of tension. Classic types include character vs character, character vs self (internal conflict), character vs society, character vs nature, and others like fate or technology. Strong stories often layer external conflict (the plot obstacle) with internal conflict (the protagonist's inner struggle). Without conflict, there is no story.
Chapter i·Why it matters
Conflict is the most fundamental story element — it is what makes a sequence of events into a narrative with tension and meaning. Understanding the types of conflict, and how external and internal conflict combine, helps writers ensure every story and scene has the friction that drives it. Recognizing that conflict is non-negotiable, and learning to layer it, is foundational to writing anything that holds a reader's attention.
Chapter ii·What to include
- A struggle between opposing forces.
- Conflict as the engine of plot.
- The classic conflict types.
- External and internal conflict.
- Layering both for depth.
- No conflict, no story.
Chapter iii·Example
A novel layers its conflict: the protagonist battles a rival (character vs character) and an unjust system (character vs society), while wrestling with her own guilt (character vs self). The combined external and internal conflict drives the plot and gives it depth, where a single, flat conflict would have felt thin.
Chapter iv·Related questions
WriteLoom's Plan studio tracks your external and internal conflict, so every scene has the friction that drives it.
See the Plan studio