How can you create a captivating conflict story?

Creating a captivating conflict story starts by defining the stakes. Establish what’s at risk, build tension, and develop characters whose motivations and actions drive the narrative forward.

Defining the stakes is all about finding the core emotion you're trying to get through. Maybe it's a feeling of "I was lost, I felt broken, I didn't know who I was anymore." Maybe it's imposter syndrome. Maybe it's not wanting to repeat your parents' mistakes. It's nothing to do with the external circumstances - so, in other words, the actual experience doesn't matter. What matters is how it made you feel. And, really, most of us only feel a limited number of core emotions. Endless nuance, but all stemming from the same few core emotions. If your audience can relate to that feeling, you're golden.

Know the purpose. Why are you telling this story? What message do you want to convey? What do the characters want, need or even fear? What are they willing to do or sacrifice to achieve or avoid it? How will their lives change if they succeed or fail?

We all need to understand that we are telling a story. A story which resonates, understand. If we offer them some imaginary characters, they can relate more to our story. Fear, Needs and wants are the basic human characteristics.

???Define the stakes: What's at risk for your characters? ???Uncover core emotions: Identify the underlying feelings driving the narrative. ???Know your purpose: Determine the message you want to convey. ???Develop compelling characters: Give them clear motivations and goals. ???Create tension and stakes: Build anticipation and suspense.

In choosing conflict type, you're unequivocally choosing audience resonance - which is essential to keep in mind as you develop your conflict story. What kinds of conflicts have your audience likely experienced? What conflict type will they resonate with? Is your conflict story sufficiently topical to their day-to-day experiences? Remember that choice of conflict also comes down to the heart of your story. When deciding on conflict type, it's important that you take a moment to consider the underlying message you're endeavouring to leave your audience with. This deliberation will ensure your story and conflict type are entertwined, and so more likely to resonate.

Choosing the type of conflict in a story is a strategic decision that can significantly impact audience engagement. It's important to align the conflict with your audience's experiences or challenges. For instance, in corporate storytelling, a 'person vs. society' conflict could resonate with businesses facing regulatory hurdles. Similarly, 'person vs. self' conflicts can effectively illustrate personal growth or overcoming internal barriers, which can be powerful in leadership or personal brand narratives. Remember, authenticity is key in storytelling and your conflict should encapsulate the action you want your audience to take.

Developing both the antagonist and protagonist is important when creating a captivating conflict story. Without taking the time to fully develop each of these personas/characters, they may only be two dimensional...boring. For your story to really be captivating, you're going to need to dig deeper and make both three dimensional. You can do this by mapping out their motivations, conflicts of interest, values, etc. It's really whatever makes sense for the story you're telling.

In my experience, a well-developed antagonist can significantly enhance the impact of a business story. It's not about creating a villain but about presenting a challenge that tests the protagonist's values and capabilities. With etymological roots in 'opponent' and 'against,' we can see that our central character's learning and growth rely on such resistance to inspire action. A clear 'anti' adds depth, triumph, and meaning, but importantly, it also provides the blueprint of action you want your audience to take.

As you structure your narrative to build the tension of your story (which typically crescendo in stories that are remembered), revisit your character development. There are numerous tension tools you can lean into (conflict is, in fact, one of them), like obstacles, dilemmas, questions that remain unanswered, situations that remain unresolved. With a conflict story, your audience is accompanying you on a transformation of character, and whichever tools for tension you choose, it's essential they serve that transformation - and the message it conveys to your audience.

My favorite way is to create an open loop while breaking a classic opinion. - Break a classic opinion will tell to people why they should listen you. - Create a open loop will give to people a reason to listen you until the end.

You might point out the difference here between what the hero wanted (dream), what was about to happen (disaster), and where the hero ended up. Maybe it's better than what was dreamed of, maybe it's just different. Bonus points if you incorprate how it made the hero feel (touching the emotional level).

The resolution of a captivating conflict story is not merely about tying up loose ends; it's about delivering a cathartic payoff that leaves readers feeling empowered, inspired, and transformed. Whether it's through a triumphant victory, a heartbreaking sacrifice, or a bittersweet compromise, the resolution should honor the journey of the protagonist, illuminating their growth, resilience, and newfound wisdom in the face of adversity. By offering closure that feels earned and satisfying, you leave readers with a sense of fulfillment and closure, reminding them that no matter how daunting the challenges may seem, there's always hope on the horizon.

Explaining enough without spelling it out. Half the fun is working it out for yourself and coming to your own conclusions. Showing not telling. Write it, leave it and come back and edit. Get AI to read it back to you out loud.

Don't fill in too much detail (e.g., don't show everything). Let the brain of your audience tap into their own memories to make the experience even more engaging.

To tell a captivating conflict story, it's important to humanize both sides of the conflict. Without doing this, the story can become flat and one-dimensional. You'll want to make sure to share why each side of the conflict feels a certain way to ensure neither side becomes villainized in the narrative. This will also allow your characters within the narrative to be more complex and three-dimensional, which can make it easier for your audience to connect with them.

The majority of stories are rehashes of formulaic archetypes--and there's nothing wrong with that because they work. But if you are looking to do and therefore achieve something different, your story and the conflict that fuels it needs a twist--a differentiation. Romeo and Juliet was original in the 1500s--then it was copied to death until 1957 when the same conflicted story was placed in New York between rival gangs of different cultural and economic backgrounds. James Bond is the archetype for so may spy mystery books, TV shows, and films, but it was Kingsman--a twist on the whole British boarding school-raised spy that made audiences reconnect with the genre. What is the "twist" that will make the standard conflict that much stronger?