Solving the Conflict Puzzle

I recently started a new novel. I’ve only been working on it for a few weeks, but it’s already given me an epiphany.

I looked at my last book as a collection of elements, all independent from one another. I spent the first round of revision working out plot kinks, the next developing character, the third fleshing out setting—with no thought as to how these elements worked together.

With my new novel, I’m taking a different approach. I’ve spent more time pre-writing, developing things like plot, character, and setting in parallel. And in the process, I realized how much the different elements of story depend on and impact one another. You can’t simply build a plot, then stick in a couple arbitrary characters, then plop the whole thing into the first setting that comes to mind. Instead, all these layers must work together to bring out the best in each other.

So, how do you plan your novel (or revise it) in a way that connects these elements like interlocking puzzle pieces? The key is conflict.

To make sure your plot and character arc are intertwined, craft plot events that maximize conflict. And remember, conflict doesn’t mean something bad happening. Conflict is a specific type of obstacle. It gets in the way of what the protagonist wants deep down. It hits the protagonist where it hurts, raises her personal stakes, or forces her to make a tough choice.

Once you know what your main character wants and what she fears, you have everything you need to determine what happens next in the story. Just think about what would cause the protagonist the most pain or the biggest dilemma, then force her into that situation. This will not only propel the plot forward, it will also push the protagonist along her character arc.

Conflict can also help you build more effective characters. What personality traits, values, and beliefs will clash most with the setting or other characters? What type of character will experience the most conflict—and, as a result, the most change—when exposed to the events of the story?

This approach will not only help you find the right protagonist for your story, it will also add depth to your side characters. You might envision the waiter who serves brunch to your protagonist as a flat, predictable character. But when you find a way for him to conflict with something around him (the protagonist, the setting, another character, a belief or ideology), suddenly this minor character has his own story, and he feels much more realistic as a result.

Similarly, you can’t just set your story anywhere—you should set it in the place that maximizes conflict. The setting itself should be a source of conflict. This could mean harsh weather or wildlife that get in the main character’s way, a society or culture that doesn’t mesh with the character’s, or a history that brings up the character’s dark past. The setting can also be used to highlight the story’s themes or mirror the change the protagonist is experiencing.

A novel has many parts: plot, characters, setting, themes, emotion…the list goes on. The mistake I made was thinking these parts were independent of each other. I crafted each one individually, without considering how they fit together. Instead, I should have been building each piece with respect to the others.

It doesn’t matter when you do this. Plotter or pantser, whichever works for you. The main thing is that you look at your story as a puzzle, built of many interlocking pieces. One thing that connects them all is conflict—so, if you get stuck, start there.