Depicting conflict in fiction

[John Dean]

I am returning to a familiar theme for this blog because it will form part of my theme for the talks I give for Book Week Scotland in late November (details to be announced).

The week’s theme is rebellion which for writers means depicting conflict. As you can imagine, I write a lot about conflict!

But why is conflict important in writing? Because stories need things to happen and that usually comes out of conflict - characters argue, fight, feud etc.

It is through seeing characters in conflict that we see them at their truest, when their guard is down, when they are fighting something.

Conflict can evoke a strong reaction in a reader and makes for good drama - and if that is happening then writing is easier and the reader more likely to be engaged.