This week: How to “Up” the Romantic Conflict Edited by: StephBee  
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“Good stories are driven by conflict, tension, and high stakes.” -- William Landay
“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” – Thomas Paine
The end of a romance novel, you get pay off – a happy ending. BUT that happy ending is a reward for all the conflict the hero and heroine went through. Without romantic conflict, there’s no reward. So today I thought I’d take a look at romantic conflict and how to weave it into your stories.
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A couple must earn that happy ending and that means tackling the element of “romantic conflict” head on. So what is it? Romantic Conflict is that force which keeps two people from being in a relationship. Ouch. That’s tough.
There are two types of “Romantic” conflict: External and Internal. External conflict brings the couple together to get to know one another and solve a problem; then Internal conflict (emotional) conflict takes over and builds the tensions until you reach the ending and happy ever after. Sounds easy, but is it?
EXTERNAL CONFLICT
Building this type of conflict is no different than other genres. The conflict can be man vs man, man vs nature, man vs society, man vs. technology, or man vs animal, just give it a romantic spin. The couple must solve a mystery, or the couple “must” marry (for any given reason) or the couple must deal with disapproving parents. Other challenges include lifestyle difference, initial dislike and opposing interests.
External conflict usually starts off the story. It’s the best way to put our couple together. Then go slow. Build the conflict and tension. Make them need each other.
INTERNAL CONFLICT
Now comes the juicy, emotional stuff. A night of need might have turned into sexual bliss. Here’s where internal conflict takes over. This type of conflict comes from the character’s beliefs. The hero believes in Y and the heroine believes in X. Now what? Now comes the confusion; the “should I” or “shouldn’t I?” chorus. Inner emotional conflict might come from respect, or lack thereof, low self-esteem, fear of disapproval, or loss. And right before the ending is the “wow” moment for both the hero/heroine where they realize their flaws and strengths and brought them together for a happy ending. Phew! I’m glad we got passed that. 
Sharing one of my favorite movies. What’s the external conflict that brings them together and the internal conflict they have to overcome?
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A ghost's love for a woman. Third place, Paranormal Romance Short Story Contest, July 2020
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FEEDBACK FROM MY ROMANCE/LOVE NEWSLETTER DATED: 24 FEB2021:
Monty 
Thank you for another N/L to cause thought.
BIG BAD WOLF is Howling 
The male characters in the Discworld series tend to have interesting relationships with their love interests. Case in point - Sam Vimes with Lady Sybil, and Carrot Ironfoundersson with Angua von Uberwald. The first couple has a Captain, later Commander, and later still a Duke, being married to a very wealthy lady. The second is a human-raised-by-dwarves who is in a relationship-with-benefits with a werewolf - leads to a funny scene after their first time, when Carrot finds out the truth about Angua..... and leads to funnier scenes when folks ask how things are between the two of them.
Quick-Quill 
I have an ereader I rarely use. I have the kindle app on my phone.
I use my Kindle app as well. I had an old, old, Kindle, I got in 2009. Loved it but it broke. I wouldn’t mind getting a new Kindle, but I gotta save duckies for it.
vada 
I've had an e-reader for several years. Thought at the time I'd use it mostly for resource books, but it quickly became my preferred way to read for enjoyment.
I get most of my books on the Kindle app, but for those SPECIAL books where I want to smell them, soak them up and write on the pages, I get the print copy.
Coming up: April is National Poetry month! I  poetry! Is April here yet?
StephBee is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. Her story, Night of Magic is now avalable as an ebook on Amazon:
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Romance/Love: March 24, 2021 Issue [#10679]
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