Message Board Topic 9/15

[Comsie]

Now let's be honest....no matter HOW much we love the characters, no matter HOW much we like the writing, no matter HOW cute the whole concept might be...love stories CAN'T be all 'love, love, love'! They simply can't be.

 

If they say "I love you" in chapter one, then "I love you" in chapter two, and "I REALLY love you" in chapter three...by the fourth or fifth chapter, a lot of readers are going to start losing interest. As with most stories...there usually has to be some sort of 'conflict' involved. Something has to come along, and 'rock the boat' a little, just to keep things fresh. Now, these events don't have to be neccessarily catastrophic by any means...but they're teenagers, falling in love for the first time ever. There has GOTTA be a few bumps in the road along the way, right?

 

The question is...what kind of conflicts do you think authors should bring into their stories to keep things fresh? There's the obvious 'love rival', the 'betrayal' technique, the 'hidden secret', the 'sexual frustration' of not being together...there are limitless ways to go with a conflicted storyline. What draws you in 'personally' as a reader or writer? And how much is too much? Whatever your thoughts on conflict...fee free to share!

[JamesSavik]

Conflict is the fuel of drama. If the stakes aren't high, if there isn't risk, if there isn't danger- why not just read the newspaper instead?

[Graeme]

Originality is the key for me. I don't want to read the same conflict in story after story. Some things are basics, but originality is key if a story is to be interesting. That applies to the conflicts within a story, too.