Types of Conflict Every Writer Must Know

Without conflict, your story lacks urgency, your characters lack purpose, and your readers will lose interest. Good conflict drives your plot forward, reveals your characters’ depths, and keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

But what is conflict, exactly? It’s more than just battles, arguments, or dramatic confrontations. At its core, conflict is any form of tension or opposition that forces your characters to make choices, face challenges, and grow. Let’s explore how to create powerful conflict by examining three core types: Internal Conflict, Interpersonal Conflict, and External Conflict.

Internal Conflict: The War Within
Internal conflict is the struggle a character faces within themselves. It’s rooted in emotions, desires, fears, and doubts. This type of conflict is deeply personal, often shaping or defining their character arc.

Readers connect with internal conflict because it mirrors their own struggles. (Check out my post on characters where we dive into relatability) Whether it’s self-doubt, guilt, or the fear of failure, these feelings create a sense of connection between the character and the audience.

In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen’s internal conflict is palpable. She’s torn between survival and maintaining her humanity, between loyalty to her family and the demands of a brutal society. Her internal battles make her a compelling, relatable protagonist.

To clarify the internal conflicts in your own characters:

• Identify their deepest fear or desire and challenge it.
  • Build up to a head-on conflict- or have it reoccur along the edges of their experience, agonisingly present, but intangible.
• Show (don’t tell) how the internal conflict evolves as external pressures mount.
• Use internal monologue, symbolic imagery, and subtle physical reactions to illustrate the conflict.

Interpersonal Conflict: People vs. People
Interpersonal conflict arises when characters clash with one another. This can stem from misunderstandings, opposing goals, or deeply ingrained values. The more they are polar opposites, the less likely they will be to recognize beneficial compromises or paths forward. The conflict itself can become as much of a driver of their choices as whatever caused it. It’s a rich source of energy for our stories and can create some of the most memorable moments in storytelling.

This type of conflict thrives on emotion. When two characters’ desires collide, it creates tension, stakes, and often, powerful dialogue. Readers are drawn to these confrontations because they mimic real-life relationships, whether they’re fueled by love, rivalry, or betrayal.

In Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie, Ferro Maljinn’s volatile nature constantly clashes with those around her. These fiery confrontations not only push other characters into revealing moments but we also get a minesweeper map of her hot topics and can infer what lies behind her high walls.

• Define Motivations: Ensure each character has clear and valid reasons for their actions, even if they’re at odds.
• Add Complexity: Let the conflict deepen as characters misunderstand or exacerbate each other’s motivations.
• Let It Leave a Mark: Show how the conflict affects the relationships and choices of the characters involved.

External Conflict: Facing the World
External conflict pits characters against forces beyond their control. This could be a hostile environment, societal norms, a dangerous antagonist, or even fate itself. External conflict provides the backdrop for your story and often serves as the catalyst for other types of conflict.

External conflict is visceral and immediate (or promises to be, e.g. the return of the dark lord). It creates high stakes and forces characters to act. Readers are compelled by the uncertainty of survival, the thrill of adventure, or the dread of an encroaching threat. Ensure the external conflict is integral to your story. It should challenge the protagonist and influence their internal journey. Use the external conflict to highlight themes or moral questions. Raise the stakes over time to keep the tension escalating.

In Practice
The most compelling stories don’t rely on just one type of conflict—they weave them together. This creates a richer narrative that resonates on multiple levels.

The basic flow is: a character’s internal struggles influence their interpersonal relationships which complicates their ability to deal with external challenges. Advanced methods re-incorporate elements from each type of conflict into the other conflicts.

An example of the basic flow: A wizard’s feelings of inadequacy/fear of failure (internal) manifests in their relationships as jealousy, inattentiveness/self-absorption, or imposter syndrome/guilt (interpersonal) and threatens to sabotage their performance in the team tournament (external).

To elevate this further, the wizard misses a critical team tournament deadline due to events beyond their control. Even if the team doesn’t feel let down, the wizard’s guilt may cause them to pull away from their teammates. Conversely, the team might throw this failure back in the wizard’s face, and the wizard would agonize, knowing that this time, it wasn’t their fault, but that no one believes them.

Conflict resolution is as important as the conflict itself. A satisfying resolution doesn’t always mean a happy ending; it means delivering on the promises you’ve made throughout the story. Whether the protagonist triumphs, compromises, or even fails, the resolution should feel earned and meaningful. In our example with the wizard, it matters less whether their team wins or loses the tournament, and more about whether the wizard measures up to whatever metric they have been judging their inadequacies by.

Tie the resolution to your character’s growth and show how the conflict changed them. Avoid overly convenient solutions (a la deus ex machina). The wizard’s team shouldnt recover from the missed deadline because another team dropped out (without context anyway) or because a friendly staff member waved them in. Instead, bring in an unlikely ally (preferably someone who models failure) who witnessed the wizard’s plight and vouches for them- leading to the team getting a second chance.

The resolution should stem organically from the characters’ actions and choices. Don’t write perfect endings. Leave some threads unresolved to mirror real-life complexities.

Conflict isn’t just about excitement—it’s about connection. It challenges your characters, reveals their humanity, and keeps readers turning pages. Whether you’re crafting a quiet, introspective drama or an epic battle between good and evil, layering internal, interpersonal, and external conflict will make your story unforgettable.

What kinds of conflict drive your characters? How do you use conflict to keep your readers engaged? Let’s discuss in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts.

For more storytelling tips and creative inspiration, subscribe to my blog and let’s create compelling conflict together. Happy writing!