Mastering Conflict and Tension in Fiction Writing
January 2025 Newsletter
Happy new year everyone! It’s time for our first newsletter of the year and it is a really great topic to cover. So let’s get right to it!
Conflict and tension are the heart of every story. They keep readers on the edge of their seats, turning pages one after the other, and make characters’ journeys unforgettable. Without them, stories fall flat, lack stakes, and fail to resonate emotionally. In this newsletter, we’ll talk about how to craft strong conflict and tension that drive your narrative forward. Whether you're writing a mystery, romance, fantasy, or literary fiction, these tools will apply across genres.
MODULE 1: THE FOUNDATIONS OF CONFLICT
Conflict provides the obstacles that characters must face and overcome, creating a narrative arc that grabs readers and keeps them engaged. It is the struggle between opposing forces. These forces can be external (a villain, nature, society) or internal (a character’s past, fears, or desires). At its core, conflict creates stakes and pushes characters to grow.
There are several types of conflict, and we are going to cover how they serve your story’s core structure.
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