Everyone knows a good novel requires conflict and tension, but many are unclear on where it really comes from. It’s not the seriousness of the situation that causes conflict. Not even a nuclear apocalypse generates conflict on its own—not if the protagonist has a fully stocked fallout shelter he planned to spend the rest of his life hiding in anyway. A conflict only works if it acts upon the protagonist in a negative way. This talk will address the true origins of conflict and tension, and how they emerge specifically from a character’s reaction and the consequences they face.
