MATIAS TAUTIMEZ
  • Home
  • About the Author
  • Contact
  • Writer's Blog
  • Artwork
  • Short Stories
  • Game Reviews
  • Home
  • About the Author
  • Contact
  • Writer's Blog
  • Artwork
  • Short Stories
  • Game Reviews

Thoughts on Internal Conflict

6/16/2018

0 Comments

 
Still sick guys, but I'm forcing myself to write. Why? Cause I love you... and I need to make sure I stick to a planned schedule so that I can keep a stable author platform leading up to the eventual release of The Paladin. But mostly that first thing.

So today I thought I'd briefly look at internal struggles for characters. It's something that's not always easy to portray, as things like fights with antagonists or races through cities or even just making the tie-breaking shot at the buzzer are so much easier. It's what you're looking for it, it's the crux of the story. But internal conflicts are, or at least should, be a lot softer. What I mean by that is, let's say your character is making that last minute shot. If they make the shot, they've overcome that external conflict. Easy to see. But overcoming internal struggles aren't as visible. It'll only be after the buzzer sounds and the team is crowded around them that you'll realize, "hey, they made the shot despite their self-doubt." That's when you see that they've grown inside.

The hardest part is making this visible to your reader without it being shoved in their face. I know that PTSD has been a common trope for several years now, and I'm not certain that a lot of writers have done due diligence in researching it. Characters tend to break down at random or predictable hesitate at key moments. And while that's certainly within the realm of possibility, it doesn't make for as satisfying an internal conflict as it could. 

Use a paint brush when detailing your character, not a paint roller. Details here that hint at something inside. Make sure they work with the external conflicts, that they go hand in hand to help tell the story of the character and show their progression from beginning to end.

Okay, I'm going to take some more medication and pass out now, but you guys have a happy writing day, okay?

​DFTBA

PS. Technically me being sick is internal, but it's a force I can't control, so it's an external​ conflict. It's me versus this stupid bug. I think that qualifies as Man vs. Nature... not sure. Need sleep. 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Matias Tautimez

    Keep your eyes open for my debut novel, The Paladin.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    August 2022
    May 2021
    November 2020
    August 2020
    November 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

About the Author

Contact

Writer's Blog

© COPYRIGHT 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.