 Romance/Love: October 22, 2014 Issue [#6615] |
  Romance/Love
This week: Conflict in Romance Stories Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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An Elf (written) Romance/Love Newsletter
Taking a look at the potential conflicts that might arise in a romance story, with some options for writers to consider when coming up with their ideas.
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One of the key elements in many stories, no matter the genre, is conflict. Whether it's for a long novel (like the ones people may be writing next month for NaNoWriMo) or even if it's a short story that is say, 869 words, the conflict is going to be one of the important aspects of the story that you will want to consider.
What is conflict? Conflict is opposing desires, mismatches, uncertainty, deadlines, pressures, incompatible goals, uneasiness, and tension. It is both the obvious struggles and the minor ones that to others would seem miniscule. In essence, it is part of what makes a story. While it's possible to write an item on here that doesn't have conflict, and I've indeed read a few, those types of stories for many readers will feel lacking or incomplete. There are nice moments but the real strength in a story for many is the combination of conflict and character. There are a couple main types of conflict to consider in any genre, including romance.
Internal Conflict
This is specific to the main point of view character, for the most part, and can include several conflicts with either one MC or if there are multiple. Emotional, psychological, and mental are different ways to describe some of the internal conflicts available to use within a story. Internal conflict works well in romance because we want to get close to the main point of view character, no matter if in first person or third person, and with that comes knowing some of their internal struggles as they go through life and eventually find love.
Love can be a big obstacle when it comes to certain characters and their internal conflict. For many, saying or realizing they are in love isn't conflict (it's actually a resolution to a conflict) but given the right character, even the concept and words can be linked to inner turmoils. If they struggle with believing someone could love them and stay in love, then that is a form of internal conflict. The trick is writing the character and story in a way that can show this type of conflict part of the time and just not tell how the character feels at random moments.
External Conflict
Happens outside the character, but this type of conflict can come in many forms. A common place form of external conflict is through the use of other characters. This can be the typical antagonist (though not all romance stories with have an easy to pick out type of antagonist) who goes against the wants of the main character. It can also include other types of characters from the well meaning friend, an over protective parent, and any other side character that comes along and affects the main characters progress towards what they want in the story.
External isn't always characters. The conflict can also come from situations, nature, and other such problems that can arise. Maybe there is a business issue that gets in the way of the main characters love life. Or through a disaster, the characters struggles make it hard for them to trust or accept help from someone. There are so many possibilities when it comes to conflict, even in romance stories where we all know the ending to a degree.
This is just a basic overview of the main branches of conflict. As you might see, they are more like the trunk of the conflict trees than branches and many factors/opportunities bloom out from there. The main point? Add conflict to a story and see what it will provide the readers. Don't be afraid to challenge your characters and put them in difficult situations. Granted, it doesn't have to be "the world is going to end" or "life or death" types of situation, but still don't let things come too easy for the main character. When we get to that happy, they are in love type of romance ending, it will be all the more satisfying having experienced the struggles the characters went through to get there for both the writer and the reader.
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What type of conflict do you prefer to write or read? Do you plan your conflict before writing a story or during?
Last time I rambled a little bit about the expectations one might have in the genre. Here is a great comment I received for that newsletter:
Comment by Osirantinous 
A late thanks for plugging my story, but I also want to say I enjoyed the newsletter. When I'm reading romance (or writing it, for that matter) I also expect romance - nothing hot and heavy but nothing so vague you're left unsure whether love/attraction/other might be in the air or not. And, for me, romance requires a happy ending. If I don't write in a happy ending, then I'm writing drama.
- Thank you.  I'm glad you enjoyed the newsletter and that's a good point that the story could fall under a category like drama instead if there isn't the HEA (happily ever after) or at least the HFN (happy for now).
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