As writers, we often get to know our historical fiction characters so well that our fondness for them prevents us from putting enough conflict into their story. When protective author syndrome occurs, the story starts to sag with nothing to drive it forward. If you want to write a page-turner, you’re going to have to put your beloved characters in dire circumstances. Preferably ones that highlight the internal trade-offs they have to make in sticky situations.

What is the difference between external and internal conflict?

External conflict is plot driven. It makes the reader ask “What happens next?” and then stay up well past midnight thinking just one more page! It is what happens to a character or around a character. In historical fiction, external conflict will often occur as a result of historical events or limitations built into their world.

Internal conflict is character driven. It is why the reader cares what happens next. It adds a layer of complexity and depth to the story that lingers in readers’ minds. Internal conflict is what makes the difference between a flat character and a well-rounded, relatable one. Internal conflict in historical fiction must feel authentic to the time in which the characters live.

How do you create both internal and external conflict that grabs the attention of readers?

To create solid internal conflict, you need to know your character well. What are her strengths and weaknesses, what experiences in her past will impact her decisions about the future? Who or what does she most want to protect? What values is she willing to sacrifice to achieve her aims? How will her choices impact other people in her life? Your character’s goals need to be meaningful to the them and have an impact on other people.

Your main external conflict should be tied to your overarching story concept. What does your character want and what are they willing to do to get it? The obstacles they face and the risks they are willing to take to achieve their goals will drive the external conflict. It is important to make sure the challenges your character faces are significant to them, and difficult, but not impossible to attain.  The process of overcoming smaller conflicts and meeting shorter-term goals is what helps them build the traits, skills, and knowledge they need to overcome the overarching conflict.

How do you ensure your inner and outer conflict are working together?

Inner conflict is best shown as the character reacts to outer conflict and then makes choices that influence further outer conflict. Often outer conflict will force characters to confront their inner fears or flaws. Overcoming this is an essential part of the character’s arc, which is why including inner conflict is so crucial to good storytelling.

It can help to think of conflict occurring in layers and cycles. There is everything from small irritations to large plot changing conflicts. Usually, internal conflict causes outer conflict when it is rooted in the emotional response a character has in reaction to some outer conflict. This is a great way to escalate the tension in a scene. These micro conflicts all should be challenging your character’s longer-term goals and personality. Characters need to grow and change (by being put in challenging situations) for the story to have any meaning.

So, put your character in complicated situations, challenge their beliefs, force them into a dilemma or a choice with terrible consequences, add in a betrayal, and create some confusion. It might feel awful, but your book (and characters) will come through much stronger in the end.

How do you check your chapters and scenes for conflict? Let’s try an example.

One exercise I’ve used to identify if there is enough conflict in my scenes (and my clients’) is to write a very brief summary of each scene or chapter. Write the summary in simple point form phrases that capture the essential action that is occurring in each moment. You can even go one step further and note internal versus external tension.

In the first example, you will see that not much happens to drive the story forward or build character. In fact, the entire scene is pretty boring even if it does offer some insight into rural Ontario life during the 1870s. It surely won’t keep readers engaged for long.

“Hattie, I heard there were going to be performers in town today. I want to see them,” Nessie said.

Hattie wrinkled her nose and thought for a minute. “You know father would never approve of such a thing, but since he is out of town I think it will be fine.”

Nessie was so excited she jumped up and down with joy. Though Hattie was a grown woman the thought of seeing the performers was enticing. She knew her father would consider it indolent or worse but no one in town would ever tell him. She looked about the kitchen and considered the work of the day.

“Why don’t we go together and you can watch for a bit while I stop at the Murrays to see if they want any more yarrow. I think they are dying wool this week. We’ll walk the long way straight through town so we catch most of it without having to linger with the crowd.”

They could hear the crowd as soon as they passed the doctor’s house. As they rounded the corner onto the main thoroughfare, they saw two young women and a young man standing on the Miller’s porch holding various instruments and singing. Hanging from the porch railing was a banner that read: The Traveling Windmills. Someone had put benches out front where many of the townspeople were now clapping along to the music. Nessie and Hattie both slowed though they could not yet make out the words of the song. Hattie forgot her mission as soon as they were on the edge of the crowd. She was as enthralled as the rest of them. They had travelling performers regularly during the summer, but this group seemed particularly talented.

Nessie tugged her sleeve. “Look, they have real flowers on their hats and in their buttonholes.”

Not wanting to be caught gawking at the flowers she looked up into their faces to find the fiddler’s eyes on her. The two of them watched for an hour until the crowd thinned and Hattie realized she should be getting on. 

She shifted her basket to the other arm and tugged on Nessie’s arm. “Come, I still need to try to sell my herbs and mushrooms. I will start at the general store. You can sit on the step outside and watch from there.”

Scene summary:

1. Nessie receives permission to watch a performance in town

2. They walk into town and watch the performance

Now compare this to the second example. It is the same exact scene but with a little bit of both inner and outer conflict built into it. While there are many things that can still be improved upon, it does a much better job of causing a reaction in the reader. There are also some curiosity seeds planted, but we will save that for another discussion.

“Hattie, Pa wants a dinner brought to him today since you weren’t here to make it. May I bring it to him? I heard there were going to be performers in town today. I want to see them,” Nessie called back to her.

Hattie wrinkled her nose and thought for a minute. 

“You know father would never approve of such a thing.”

Nessie’s face fell and though she did not complain, Hattie knew she would mope all day. Though Hattie was a grown woman the thought of seeing the performers was enticing, but she knew her father would consider it indolent or worse and she was not in the mood for a lecture. She looked about the kitchen and considered the work of the day. It was a risk, but maybe they could manage to catch a little bit. It would be good for Nessie to get out more.

“Why don’t we go together and you can watch for a bit while I stop at the Murrays to see if they want any more yarrow. I think they are dying wool this week. We’ll walk the long way straight through town so we catch most of it without having to linger with the crowd.”

They could hear the crowd as soon as they passed the doctor’s house. As they rounded the corner onto the main thoroughfare, they saw two young women and a young man standing on the Miller’s porch holding various instruments and singing. Hanging from the porch railing was a banner that read: The Traveling Windmills. Someone had put benches out front where many of the townspeople were now clapping along to the music. Nessie and Hattie both slowed though they could not yet make out the words of the song. Hattie forgot her mission as soon as they were on the edge of the crowd. She was as enthralled as the rest of them. They had travelling performers regularly during the summer, but this group seemed particularly talented.

Nessie tugged her sleeve. “Look, they have real flowers on their hats and in their buttonholes.”

Not wanting to be caught gawking at the flowers she looked up into their faces to find the fiddler’s eyes on her. He winked and before she could wonder if she had just imagined it she felt a firm hand grasp her shoulder. She stiffened and spun around with a stifled gasp.

“Father, I was just about to bring your lunch to you. We did not plan to stay here long, just enough to see the end of one song.”

Her father didn’t bother to respond. He just grunted and grabbed the pail from her. He turned to walk away, then stopped and looked back over his shoulder.

“Make sure you get Nessie home before she wastes time listening to anymore of this nonsense.”

Hattie just nodded her head, though she knew her father could not see her. Hattie wondered for the millionth time what made him so strict and angry all the time. He had no patience for idleness or pleasure in his home and hid it behind a claim of devoutness. It made little sense to her when the two town pastors were sitting in the front row enjoying the show.

Sighing, she shifted her basket to the other arm and pulled Nessie out from behind her. “Come, I still need to try to sell my herbs and mushrooms. I will start at the general store. You can sit on the step outside and watch from there.”

Now the scene summary looks something like this:

1. Hattie waffles but decides to allow Nessie to watch the performance in town (decision leads to conflict)

2. They walk into town

3. While watching the performance they are caught by their father (shows current conflict and sets the stage for future conflict)

If you are struggling to put enough conflict into your scenes, first make sure your central story conflict has enough stakes to carry the story. Next, check your scenes for internal and external conflict. It can be tempting to include scenes that focus on solely on building historical context, but to hold a reader’s attention you need to keep the pace moving and tension escalating. Use this technique to check each of your chapters for internal and external tension and then get busy making your characters miserable.

Recent Posts