Assumption is Not Sustainable Conflict
I've been in the writing world for over five years now and I've known for a long time that if characters can have a good, honest talk and work out their troubles, then the plot conflict isn't strong enough.
But I hadn't thought of this in the form of assumptions until a reader made a comment about a book and how she enjoyed that the characters didn't just assume things about each other.
A character's goal has to be impeded by more than her thinking the other character (antagonist/hero) wouldn't like the goal. The internal conflict should be more than her thinking the other character will disapprove or hate her.
I adore internal conflicts but they have to have a concrete external conflict to make them believable. If the conflict isn't believable, or worse, could be cleared with an honest conversation, then this hampers the tension of the story in a big way.
The reader might not care about turning the pages to find out what happens.
I know for a fact that one of my manuscripts relies too heavily on assumption as the basis of conflict. That's something I need to change.
Have your characters assumed too much? Do you like it in books when there's a misunderstanding or would you rather there be definite stakes/goals driving a wedge between characters?
But I hadn't thought of this in the form of assumptions until a reader made a comment about a book and how she enjoyed that the characters didn't just assume things about each other.
A character's goal has to be impeded by more than her thinking the other character (antagonist/hero) wouldn't like the goal. The internal conflict should be more than her thinking the other character will disapprove or hate her.
I adore internal conflicts but they have to have a concrete external conflict to make them believable. If the conflict isn't believable, or worse, could be cleared with an honest conversation, then this hampers the tension of the story in a big way.
The reader might not care about turning the pages to find out what happens.
I know for a fact that one of my manuscripts relies too heavily on assumption as the basis of conflict. That's something I need to change.
Have your characters assumed too much? Do you like it in books when there's a misunderstanding or would you rather there be definite stakes/goals driving a wedge between characters?
Comments
I took that piece of advice and made sure that my characters can't just misunderstand, although as humans we do that often in conversations, emails and texts, but the BIG plot, the BIG deal has to be so much more. Excellent post!!!
I want to say that misunderstandings and assumptions make the characters avoid talking about it...not enough tension...I don't know if I explained that right. There must be more meat to the story.
You got me thinking on this, Jess.
If the conflict between the two characters is too simple (If I'm thinking "Come on, already!") then I'm frustrated as I read I book. This is why it's so important to have layers to your characters, where the whys and why nots that push and pull the hero and heroine apart (or together). You've got to reveal this kind of stuff with every turn of the page.
Any conflict, I like it to be a real problem. Perhaps someone can't do something because of a physical condition.
Thanks Traci! I'm working on it too. :-)
YOu're welcome, Karen!
Nancy, good point. That would be a seemingly insurmountable conflict.
If a character is just anticipating a problem, the tension is diluted. If someone is actually coming against them, it's a whole different story.