Learn How Conflict Drives the Plot: Part 1

Content editing starts by measuring the conflict's ability to drive the plot forward. Eliminate the character's influence for the moment, and take a look at each conflict. A slow paced novel should only have a slight jump in tension, risk, and stakes after each conflict's mini resolution and breather. This should increase in direct proportion, depending on the genre. A thriller should have dramatic jumps in tension, stakes and reader's emotions as each conflict builds toward the climax. A police procedural or a horror novel should almost reach the level of playing mind games with the reader, even manipulating their emotional responses to different stimuli.

Most new authors misunderstand what conflict is. They drop a problem in front of a character, force them to solve it, and are content that they have filled twenty pages in the novel. At best, the character learns a life lesson from the situation, at worse, the reader is lost, confused, and closes the book forever.

The Purpose of Conflict

Conflict is a powerful tool. In the right hands. Before deciding how to edit conflict, take a moment to learn the best way to use conflict.

Conflict is something that forces the main character to engage in a situation. But, there is more.

Conflict forces the character to become involved in situations that they would not normally become involved in, they would fear, dread, or avoid. Conflict forces the main character out of their comfort zone, making them do things they would not normally do.

Situation Driven Plot - Character Driven Plot

Is the plot situation driven or character driven? It is important to understand that the conflicts and plot must compliment each other. The author may not choose what they would like to use in a book. The genre, and in turn the publisher's new releases, determine the types of conflict that drive plot. Each genre has a standard for the main type of conflict. Publishers then determine how much they are willing to bend the rules. Reading a few books released by your publisher of choice, in the last year, will help you determine what they feel is a marketable mix.

Character Driven Plot

Character driven refers to a story the main character's decisions, actions, or reactions cause the conflict, situation, event or problem is caused by. Remember, the problem is not always a conflict, but it can cause a conflict. To learn more about this please read the articles on action/reaction cause/effect, and Character Driven Plots. This is used in Romance, Women’s fiction, Thrillers, Courtroom dramas, Family Sagas, and many mainstream novels.

Example of Character driven problems:
Jill is late for work. She races through a red light and slams into a truck.

Mike decides to go on a blind date to help a friend. Mary, his girlfriend, is part of a business meeting, taking place at the same restaurant.

Dan has a choice to run, or stand up to his responsibilities.

Situation Driven Plot

Situation driven refers to a plot or conflict where outside forces intruded on the character's life. It is very easy to step over the line from situation driven to author intrusion. This is very common in the Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, and Horror genre. Example of Situation driven problems:
Jill is following her usual routine and a truck runs a light, driving her car sideways into another truck.

Mike stops in at a restaurant for a bite to eat. His friend barges in with two girls. Mary, his girlfriend, leaves her business meeting to visit the ladies room and sees the 'party.'

Dan is contemplating whether to run or stand up to his responsibilities when a police car pulls into the lane.