Conflicting Accounts

April 15, 2021– We’re halfway through the month, and we’re focusing on pushing the envelope in our writing. We hope that you have enjoyed the information so far! Today we’re going to focus on conflict, and no matter which genre you write in, whether it’s kids, historical fiction, sci-fi, or everything in between, your story needs conflict!

Person vs. Person is pretty typical and is what most stories focus on—person vs. person is one against the other, good vs. evil, the good guy always wins, there are a protagonist and an antagonist. But let’s explore something far more interesting that can help you push the envelope in your writing by talking about the three most boundary-pushing types of conflicts there are:

1. Person vs. Society-Struggles between individuals and social codes in their world. There is a conflict between what a character desires and what society demands or expects. This could be where a character doesn’t quite fit into societal norms and finds themselves on the fringes or rebelling against society in general. For example, in a historical fiction book, society could dictate that women should be seen and not heard, not have children out of wedlock, and wear dresses, but your main character goes against that, stands up for herself and what she believes in, and bucks the norm. For an excellent read that showcases Person vs. Society, click here: Duty’s Daughter – Pandamonium Publishing House
2. Person vs. Supernatural-Conflicts between characters and otherworldly events, entities, or paranormals. Conflict occurs when a character faces resistance from a supernatural force such as magical forces, otherworldly beings, deities, or unexplained energies. Many Hollywood blockbusters touch on this type of conflict (a la Stephen King, IT and pretty much everything he’s written).  A great example of this type of writing and story is available here: Once Upon a Vision – Pandamonium Publishing House
3. Person vs. Technology-Conflict between characters and scientific discovery. In this type of conflict, the character is usually faced with a battle against technology that has become too powerful, too invasive, or is being used by another force for evil. A fabulous take on this type of conflict can be found here: Machinia – Pandamonium Publishing House

Now that you know there are ways to change the conflict in your writing to push the envelope, what are you waiting for? Get to work! Check out our entire collection here including books, courses, and services: Products – Pandamonium Publishing House