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sammigx9 · 7 months

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How do I make internal conflict subtle, without being so subtle the readers miss it?

Internal conflict is a vital component of any compelling story. It’s the central axis of any good character arc and drives the narrative forward. However, writing internal struggles effectively without resorting to heavy-handed exposition can be challenging. Here are some quick tips on writing subtle internal conflict.

Show, don’t tell

Reveal a character’s emotions through actions, thoughts, and dialogue.

Use body language and gestures to convey inner turmoil, like fidgeting, clenched fists, or avoiding eye contact.

Write sensory details to immerse readers in the character's emotional experience, like describing the taste of bitterness or the prickling of anxiety.

Incorporate changes in a character's routine or habits that hint at inner changes, like a punctual character being late, or changing taste in music.

Use the character's reactions to their environment as a reflection of their emotions. The same setting might appear grey and dark to one, but bright and vibrant to another.

Use subtext

Write subtext into dialogue, where characters say one thing but mean another.

Drop subtle hints at emotions that readers can infer rather than spelling everything out.

Experiment with non-verbal communication like meaningful glances, pauses, or hesitations.

Invoke subtext through characters' internal thoughts and uncertainties, without the character fully acknowledging their deeper feelings.

Use dramatic irony, where the reader knows more than the character does about their own feelings or situation.

Develop complex characters

Give your characters conflicting desires, values, and goals to naturally generate internal conflict.

Create backstories that reveal past traumas or experiences that continue to haunt and influence their decisions.

Consider using character flaws and contradictions to highlight internal struggles.

Use relationships to create conflicting desires and expectations.

Give your characters both internal and external conflicts to build tension between dealing with personal struggles and outside problems.

Employ inner monologues

Incorporate introspective moments where characters wrestle with their inner demons, doubts, and fears.

Use first-person or close third-person perspectives to allow readers direct access to the character's thoughts.

Balance inner monologues with external action to maintain pacing and engagement.

Use an unreliable narrator so readers try to distinguish between what is a misperception and what is the truth.

Create inner thoughts that highlight the difference between a character's public persona and their private world.

Create moral dilemmas

Force characters to make difficult decisions that represent turning points in their arcs.

Explore the consequences of a character’s choices on their sense of self and their relationships.

Have your character confront a personal sacrifice where they must question their own motives and values.

Have a character balance loyalty and personal integrity, having to decide where their personal morality lies.

Force a choice between self-preservation and the greater good where their choice not only has personal stakes, but story-wide ones as well.

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sammigx9 · 7 months

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Any tips on how to write a character that holds grudges?

From the icy walls they erect to their unquenchable thirst for revenge, characters who carry a grudge can push a narrative into unexpected territories. So let’s explore how to write characters who hold a grudge!

Behaviour

Isolate themselves

Passive-aggressive

Obsessively focused

Delayed responses

Overly critical

Extreme reactions to the subject of their grudge

Avoid situations in which the grudge can surface

Deep-seated resentment

Struggle to let things go

Retaliatory actions

Interactions

Cold or curt manner

Avoiding direct communication with the subject of their grudge

Use sarcasm, irony, or veiled hostility

Use others as proxies for communication

Use formal language

Harsh tone

Active avoidance

Behave counter to the wishes of the subject of their grudge

React negatively to attempts at reconciliation

Body language

Stiff posture

Avoid eye contact

Crossed armos

Expressions of distaste

Turning away and shunning

Maintain physical distance

Grimacing

Dismissive gestures

Tension and crossed arms or legs

Clenched teeth

Attitude

Stubborn and unyielding

Unwilling to forgive and forget

A sense of entitlement

Bitter or cynical

A lack of empathy

Reluctance to let go of the past

Righteous anger

Unwilling to compromise

Feel wronged or victimised

A push to “get even”

Positive story outcomes

A grudge has the potential to foster forgiveness and reconciliation, serving as a powerful catalyst for personal growth. In time, the grudge-holder may come to realise their own mistakes and seek to make amends, leading to a profound understanding of the offender’s perspective. Ultimately, through this transformative journey, they may find the strength to let go of their grudge, providing a sense of relief and closure.

Negative story outcomes

Holding on to a grudge has the potential to inflict permanent damage on relationships, creating rifts that may never fully heal. The weight of the grudge can bring about unnecessary stress and mental anguish, consuming the grudge-holder’s thoughts and emotions. This can lead to a cycle of further conflicts and misunderstandings, pushing away valuable relationships that could have brought joy and fulfilment. In the grip of a grudge, a character may lose sight of what truly matters, becoming consumed by their resentment and losing the ability to appreciate the present.

Helpful synonyms

Resentment

Bitterness

Animosity

Hostility

Rancor

Enmity

Ill will

Antipathy

Antagonism

Hatred

Spite

Ill feeling

Bad blood

Malice

Vendetta

Animus

Malcontent

Petulant

Vindictive

Peevish

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Drunken Love Confessions

"I like your stupid face. It’s so stupid. It’s so… I like it. Can I touch it?"

"You're all I ever wanted. I'm sorry I can't say it sober."

"I can't wait for the room to stop spinning, so I can focus on your face again."

"I would love to hear those words in any other place than this bathroom, holding your hair back."

"You're cute. And a bit blurry. But definitely always so cute."

"I think I love you." "And I would love to answer you accordingly, but I think I would appreciate it more when you’re actually able to understand my answer."

"Don't tell my sober me that I told you I love you. It was a secret."

"I…I want to give you my heart. It belongs to… to you. How… how can I give it to you? I don’t want it anymore." "Let’s wait until tomorrow with the surgery."

"Oh I'm dreaming of you again. If I wouldn't be dreaming and if you would be really here, then I would tell you I love you."

"I love you. But that's a secret. So I won't tell you about it."

"You're drunk." "Yes. And hopelessly in love with you."

"I'm seeing you twice. Oh, now I can give all my love to even more of you."

"Say that again after two coffees at least and I will be yours."

"You're so adorable. I want to pick you up and never let you down."

"I've always loved you. But I will never tell you."

"This is not a dream, I think. In my dreams we're usually kissing."

"I’m not drunk. Can a drunk person do this?" "You’re not doing anything." "But… I sent you my love. Did you… did you not get it?"

"Can you keep a secret? I am madly in love with you. But psshh."

"I fell in love with you." "No, you fell down the stairs. You should really learn to hold your liquor."

"You're so perfect. How can anyone be so perfect? Maybe you're just a dream."

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Is It Believable?

I get a form of this question a lot. “How do I write this thing while making it seem believable/legit/good/not cringey.” It’s a difficult question for me to answer because it is so, so specific to your story—moreso, your worldbuilding.

You can make literally anything true and believable. Anything. Anything you can possibly think of could be a true and believable and good and a not cringey part of your story. Rats can fly, lakes flow above us and lightening strikes below us, the moon is shaped like your soulmate, etc. etc. It all depends on the rules you set for your world, and literally just comitting to it.

The moment you stop to say, okay I know this is weird, but... You’ve lost us. This is your world, you get to decide what goes on in it, and the readers are either going to accept it and get into it, or put your book down. So don’t apologize for your ideas.

First things first,

Create your world rule

This is your idea. Dogs can talk. People have marks on their skin that tells when they’re supposed to die. The world rotates in reverse so everything is like our world but backwards. Whatever it is.

These ideas about your world should be introduced in the very beginning, when things are still unaffected by plot and your characters are just going about their everyday lives. In fact, the very beginning of your story’s entire job is to introduce readers to the ‘norms’ of the world. The rules. How things are supposed to work. So that when the inciting incident comes, we know exactly what broke.

2. Consider your rule’s implications

So dogs can talk—are they still pets? Do they have jobs or hold positions in politics? Do they go to school to learn? If I went to university in your world, might I be sitting next to a dog in reading glasses with a mug of coffee? If they go to school is it to earn higher wages? Do they own property and vehicles? Could my neighbour be a family of dogs? Are there products made specifically to fit their doggy paws so they can open cans or use other tools?

One little thing could have endless impacts on your world. That is what worldbuilding is—exploring the implications of your world and how it all fits together.

This is typically what people mean when they say something is unbelievable. A rule may seem very silly if it doesn’t really impact any other aspect of the world. However, as long as your rule and the impacts it has are well thought out, you can make anything believable.

3. Stop worrying about what readers will think.

This last one is more for the ‘how do I make this good/not cringe’ question. You will never please everyone. Not every reader will come across your work and think it’s good. The good news is, there will always be someone who does. We write for those people. The ones who like our ideas as they are, and will read our work the way we write it. Stop trying to please the people who are going to put down your book anyway.

Just write it.

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sammigx9 · 10 months

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