Let’s start by saying that the main conflict isn’t a fight. Let’s say it isn’t war. It isn’t the antagonist. The main conflict is the main obstacle or opposition on which the main character and/or characters have to go through to reach their goals. I have been congregating with some artists lately to help them with how they can grow their comics and it seems that what they are misinterpreting when building the story is what is that main conflict. Yes, you are going to have a bad guy or an antagonist but that is just another stepping stone in the character’s drive. What moves the characters to move from his comfort zone is what is in point B.
One example could be the story about The Little Red Riding Hood. There are many versions but let’s stick with the main idea around it. The main conflict in this tale is not that there is a wolf waiting for her in the forest. The conflict is that she needs to get to her grandmother’s house. That’s the whole shebang! Getting to her grandmother’s house. But saying that she got there with any problems will make this story weak. That’s why when you are knitting your story you need various elements including doing research.
So let’s start asking you some questions. What is your story about? Boy meets girl? The main character (MC) needs to resolve a message to stop an invasion? The MC crashed on an isolated island and needs to get back to his family? You’ve been invited to a party where people start dying and the only way to stay alive is by revealing the murderer. What is your point A and B? You got to figure that out before you write. Yes do the research, plot, but that main conflict will help you out how to enhance that story.
Think of your real life for a moment. What do you do? Work? Hobbies? What is your passion? Why do you do the things that… you do? Example to me. I’m a workaholic, mostly introvert changing into ambivert (because people evolve), dog-loving, father, husband person who wants to give to the world stories which mainly I’ve to develop for others, but now I’m doing my own. So my main conflict in life is reaching to audiences and presenting books to audiences so that they are entertaining. Somebody reading my story could ask: Would he achieve that? Besides that you can throw in a full-time job, my daughters, cleaning house, wife, trying to help others (teaching, motivating), that are other obstacles that will take out of my time in order to achieve my goal. You can add that where I live, was hit by a massive hurricane and left us without electricity for various months. So that simple part of the big arc in your plot of achieving the MC’s goals you throw the main conflict in and you start developing that eye-catching story.
So let’s get back to conflicts and what kind of conflicts you can create. Again, think where you want to head your main character and what you want to achieve. The examples given below will help you develop that main conflict but is not necessarily the main conflict.
- Person VS Person: On this one, it is usually the most common set of conflicts on stories. One character wants something and the antagonist wants it too, so they both fight until one of them obtains it. Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King. It is when the character is fighting to a mirror version of him. In the movie, the Prestige is one of the most exciting ways to put this, as two magicians do whatever it takes to become the best magician. Even if it kills them.
- Person VS Society: This is when the character is completely outnumbered. A whole group is against the MC and he goes against all odds to come out the victor. The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Avatar, Titanic, The X-Men.
- Person VS Nature: Man vs Nature? Are you kidding me? Mot exactly and is one thing we in real life do a lot. Cast Away, 127 hours, Twister. You also have movies like The Day After Tomorrow, were everything is survive no matter what. Stories like these, the characters will be on disadvantages since they can’t control nature or weather.
- Person VS Technology: Think of the Matrix, the Terminator, and Frankenstein. Technologic advances that people have made and have become a problem. Black Mirror uses a lot of, how wrong can something get with technology. People become so dependent on technological advances that have made themselves vulnerable.
- Person VS Self: In this case, we can make a shift and talk directly about characters. Hulk, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, Memento, Sybil. Usually, the battle is internal but it affects so much the character that he brings his inner demons outside to the world. One character that is always in conflict with himself is Batman. So much that he appears in some comics as if without the mask he’s Bruce Wayne and with it, he’s Batman.
- Person VS Supernatural: God? Ghosts? Demons? Something that is not supposed to be in this realm… sort of speak. Dracula, Ghostbusters, Cthulhu, The Monkey’s Paw. I mean what can the characters do against this? It is virtually impossible to win this fight. On stories like this, you have to have strong sub-plots to give the characters lots of weapons to thrive. Physically and mentally.
So you have seen the conflicts, now what? Create that main conflict, spicy it with some mini conflicts that will turn up to be sub-plots so that your little point A to point B story has a bigger impact. Change your hat to the audience. How would this amaze me? Would it be something new? Or from the things done already, can I do something so refreshing it would look like something new. You are amazing already so write the hell out of your story and continue to perfect your craft.