Conflict Drivers: Methods for Engineering Challenges in the Plot
- Story Marc
- Feb 7
- 3 min read
Overview
Conflict is the beating heart of any story. Without it, characters remain stagnant, plots meander, and tension dissipates. One of the most effective ways to ensure that a narrative remains engaging is by strategically employing Conflict Drivers—the mechanisms that introduce, escalate, and complicate conflict within a story. These drivers keep the momentum going, forcing characters to evolve, adapt, and make difficult choices.
Conflict Drivers come in three primary forms: Barriers, Complications, and Situations. Each plays a different role in storytelling, but all serve the same purpose—challenging characters in ways that push the narrative forward. By understanding and applying these elements effectively, writers can create dynamic and immersive stories that keep readers invested from beginning to end.
The Three Types of Conflict Drivers
1. Barriers: Immediate Obstacles That Demand a Response
Definition: Barriers are immediate roadblocks that prevent a character from achieving their goal. These obstacles force characters to either change their approach, make difficult decisions, or seek alternative solutions. Barriers heighten tension by momentarily stopping forward progress, requiring creative problem-solving.
Purpose: To disrupt the character's plans and force them to adapt, leading to organic character growth and unexpected narrative developments.
Examples:
A thief infiltrates a high-security building but discovers that the vault requires a biometric scan they don’t have access to.
A detective trying to interrogate a suspect finds that they have disappeared without a trace.
A hero finally tracks down the villain, only to be outnumbered and forced to retreat.
How to Use Effectively:
Ensure that barriers are meaningful and not just arbitrary blockages.
Use barriers to test a character’s adaptability and intelligence.
Keep barriers escalating to maintain tension without frustrating the reader.
2. Complications: Problems That Linger and Escalate
Definition: Complications are issues that arise as a result of prior actions or external influences. Unlike barriers, they don’t immediately halt progress, but they create underlying tension that can develop into more significant problems later. Complications make the character’s journey more difficult, often in ways they don’t immediately realize.
Purpose: To add layers of complexity to a character’s journey, ensuring that even successes come with consequences.
Examples:
A diplomat successfully negotiates a truce between two warring factions but later learns that one side is secretly planning a coup.
A detective uncovers a key piece of evidence, but its discovery makes them a target.
A spy completes a mission undetected but unknowingly leaves behind a clue that will be used against them later.
How to Use Effectively:
Introduce complications subtly to create a sense of growing tension.
Allow complications to snowball into more significant threats.
Use complications to challenge a character’s long-term plans and assumptions.
3. Situations: Major Events That Reshape the Story
Definition: Situations are significant events that dramatically shift the course of the narrative. Unlike barriers, which are direct obstacles, and complications, which are gradual problems, situations often come as major turning points that alter the stakes and force immediate reevaluation.
Purpose: To create pivotal moments in the story that drive character growth and shift the direction of the plot.
Examples:
A politician’s campaign is derailed when their sibling is arrested for a major crime.
A warrior learns that their sworn enemy is actually their long-lost sibling.
A scientist discovers a breakthrough but realizes the technology could fall into the wrong hands.
How to Use Effectively:
Situations should feel organic rather than forced and emerge logically from prior events.
Use situations to test a character’s core values and principles.
Ensure that situations raise the stakes, making them impossible to ignore.
Bringing It All Together
Conflict Drivers—Barriers, Complications, and Situations—are the backbone of engaging storytelling. They work together to create a rich, ever-evolving narrative that keeps characters and readers on their toes.
Barriers create immediate tension by forcing characters to rethink their approach.
Complications build long-term conflict, ensuring that tension lingers and grows.
Situations reshape the story, creating pivotal moments that redefine character arcs and stakes.
By mastering these elements, writers can craft stories that are consistently engaging, emotionally resonant, and impossible to put down. Conflict is not just about struggle—it’s about evolution, and Conflict Drivers ensure that characters are always moving forward, even when they seem to be up against impossible odds.
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