Conflict is the heartbeat of fiction—but not all conflict is created equal. External conflict drives your plot forward, while internal conflict drives your character’s growth. When you make those two forces feed each other, your story hits harder and lingers longer.
Great fiction doesn’t come from easy wins—it comes from impossible choices. When your protagonist is forced to pick between two equally awful options, the story stops being about “victory” and starts being about what they’re willing to lose. That’s when stakes rise, true character is revealed, and readers stay glued to the page.
Writing fiction should make you feel something. If you’re not laughing, crying, or at least smirking at your own words, your readers won’t either. Emotional resonance starts with the writer. From cardboard characters to scenes that don’t belong, here are five reasons your story might be falling flat—and what to do about it.
A great antagonist isn’t a cartoon villain twirling a mustache—they’re someone who truly believes they’re right. The most compelling conflicts come when your villain’s goals clash with your hero’s in ways that feel uncomfortably relatable.