Things have to get worse before they can get better. This is necessary in short stories.

Characters have to struggle to reach their goals. Stories where everything goes right for our characters are dull ones. You can devise several ways to make things difficult for your character. Lets look at each one


1) By Having The Character Make Things Worse For Himself

The mind is a powerful thing. If you tell yourself you might do something and put in the effort, you might . If you are pessimistic in your thinking, the obstacles will seem overwhelming.

A character may contruct things worse for himself by his way of thinking.

Ill give you an example

Your characters desire is to become a kindergarten teacher. The conflict is whether he can do it. He fears that he will fail the exams that could get him into university.

How will he build things worse for himself?

By worrying too much, whether he may or cant do it, that he fails himself in his exams.


2) By Having Another Force Make Things Worse For Him

The force may be anything like nature, weather, province, circumstances, etc.

Example

Your character is stuck on a deserted island.

Conflict - how is he going to get off the island?

How will things get worse for him?

He builds a boat and the storm shreds it to pieces (weather.)


3) By Another Character Making Things Worse For Him

Example...

Your characters wants is to marry the girl he loves.

Conflict Will her family accept him? She is rich. He is poor.

How will things get worse for him?

Her mother sets her up with another man who is of equal social status to them.


There are many ways to contruct things difficult for your character. Use your imagination and see what you might come up with.