To sustain you through your story, however many words that could be , the conflict has to be pretty strong.

By strong, I mean that there shouldnt be an easy way out of it. From wherever the conflict may arise, from the characters mind, or from something or someone else, there should be too much at stake for the character - Which doesnt allow him to reach a decision or can not perform an action and thus resolve the conflict.

Because the conflict is whats pulling your story through, once solved your story ends. So you do not want it solved too soon because everything then will be an anti-climax.

Your aim is to engross your readers in your story, involve them in the problems of the character, have the character struggle, and then resolve the conflict. If your story is aimed at 5,000 words say, then the conflict should be resolved at the end of those 5,000 words.

But how do you prevent the character from solving the conflict?

Easy. Make things harder for him. Your character will have a wants and the conflict is the reason why he can not reach it, so dont let him reach it straight away generate his goal unreachable by affixing obstacles in his roadway .

Obstacles?

Yes. Problems. Keep piling on the problems so in the characters mind and readers minds the target will be unreachable and the conflict unsolvable. This way you create suspense.


Let me give you an example

A young couple fall in love and wish to marry but their families are opposed to the union. For whatever reason, the families have been enemies for decades .

Whats the couples target ? They want to get married

Whats their conflict? Their families do not see eye to eye.

Can this conflict be resolved straight away? No. Because there is a long history of hatred which goes back many years.

This is a strong conflict because it doesnt seem like it may be resolved straight away. You can not wipe out many years of hatred with one conversation nor can you bring families together every easily who do not wish to become related whats more the hatred will grow fiercer because of this new occurrence.

How might I build things worse for my main characters? Im going to place more obstacles in their roadway so their goal to marry will seem unreachable.

I might

o Have their families send them away

o Have the young couple secretly go to a priest who turns them over to their families

o Or whatever it takes to keep my story running.


Or depending on what type of story I want to write with this basic plot, I might even turn my main characters against each other. I might have them start to question whether their families are right.

And I will keep building things harder for them till its instant to reach the end where the conflict has to be resolved one way or the other (to the main characters liking or not).

Do whatever it takes and is logical for your story to make your conflict last until its time to solve it.