Podcasts Arts Fiction Writing Made Easy Progressive Complications: How to Write Better Conflict in Your Novel

Progressive Complications: How to Write Better Conflict in Your Novel

Published: Aug. 25, 2020, 11 p.m.

In today's episode, we're going to talk about writing better conflict in your novel using "progressive complications." Here's a preview of what's included:

[01:20] Progressive complications are moments of conflict that get more and more challenging to deal with over time. These complications can be people, places, things, or events, and they can be negative or positive. 
[02:10] Stories exist because of conflict. If there was no conflict, you'd have nothing to write about.
[02:30] Progressive complications can help you build tension in the reader and keep them on the edge of their seats.
[03:05] Progressive complications can help you give the reader insight into who your character is AND how they change over time.
[04:05] Each complication needs to relate to the POV character’s goal. If it doesn’t, you risk writing a story that doesn’t feel cohesive and you risk confusing the reader, too. 
[05:15] Each complication needs to be more difficult to deal with than the last complication. Otherwise, the tension in your story won’t build properly and you’ll likely lose the reader’s interest.
[07:05] Each complication needs to require more effort from your character. This is the key way you’ll be able to show that your character is growing and changing into someone that’s capable of handling the upcoming global climax. 
[08:40] Each complication needs to be unique and "complex." This not only helps you write an interesting story, but it helps keep the story feeling fresh for the reader, too.
[10:30] Each complication needs to build to a turning point when things change for better or for worse. This is what helps you create that sense of change within a scene or within your global story.
[12:45] Key points and episode recap.

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