BellaOnline Forums Career Fiction Writing what are common conflicts in fiction writing?

What are some common conflicts in fiction writing other than the ones listed below?

Character vs. Self
Character vs. Character
Character vs. Society
Character vs. Machine/Technology

Monica, hope these help answer your question. The ones you mentioned are also mentioned in what I copied and pasted here. I know that there are more of these, I just haven't managed to find them yet.

1 - [wo]man vs. nature

2 - [wo]man vs. man

3 - [wo]man vs. the environment

4 - [wo]man vs. machines/technology

5 - [wo]man vs. the supernatural

6 - [wo]man vs. self

1. QUEST - the plot involves the Protagonist's search for a person, place or thing, tangible or intangible (but must be quantifiable, so think of this as a noun; i.e., immortality).

2. ADVENTURE - this plot involves the Protagonist going in search of their fortune, and since fortune is never found at home, the Protagonist goes to search for it somewhere over the rainbow.

3. PURSUIT - this plot literally involves hide-and-seek, one person chasing another.

4. RESCUE - this plot involves the Protagonist searching for someone or something, usually consisting of three main characters - the Protagonist, the Victim & the Antagonist.

5. ESCAPE - plot involves a Protagonist confined against their will who wants to escape (does not include some one trying to escape their personal demons).

6. REVENGE - retaliation by Protagonist or Antagonist against the other for real or imagined injury.

7. THE RIDDLE - plot involves the Protagonist's search for clues to find the hidden meaning of something in question that is deliberately enigmatic or ambiguous.

8. RIVALRY - plot involves Protagonist competing for same object or goal as another person (their rival).

9. UNDERDOG - plot involves a Protagonist competing for an object or goal that is at a great disadvantage and is faced with overwhelming odds.

10. TEMPTATION - plot involves a Protagonist that for one reason or another is induced or persuaded to do something that is unwise, wrong or immoral.

11. METAMORPHOSIS - this plot involves the physical characteristics of the Protagonist actually changing from one form to another (reflecting their inner psychological identity).

12. TRANSFORMATION - plot involves the process of change in the Protagonist as they journey through a stage of life that moves them from one significant character state to another.

13. MATURATION - plot involves the Protagonist facing a problem that is part of growing up, and from dealing with it, emerging into a state of adulthood (going from innocence to experience).

14. LOVE - plot involves the Protagonist overcoming the obstacles to love that keeps them from consummating (engaging in) true love.

15. FORBIDDEN LOVE - plot involves Protagonist(s) overcoming obstacles created by social mores and taboos to consummate their relationship (and sometimes finding it at too high a price to live with).

16. SACRIFICE - plot involves the Protagonist taking action(s) that is motivated by a higher purpose (concept) such as love, honor, charity or for the sake of humanity.

17. DISCOVERY - plot that is the most character-centered of all, involves the Protagonist having to overcome an upheavel(s) in their life, and thereby discovering something important (and buried) within them a better understanding of life (i.e., better appreciation of their life, a clearer purpose in their life, etc.)

18. WRETCHED EXCESS - plot involves a Protagonist who, either by choice or by accident, pushes the limits of acceptable behavior to the extreme and is forced to deal with the consequences (generally deals with the psychological decline of the character).

19. ASCENSION - rags-to-riches plot deals with the rise (success) of Protagonist due to a dominating character trait that helps them to succeed.

20. DECISION - riches-to-rags plot deals with the fall (destruction) of Protagonist due to dominating character trait that eventually destroys their success.

7 - [wo]man vs. god/religion

Thanks so much. That is super helpful. I've never written fiction ever but I've been thinking about it a lot lately.

You are so very welcome. If I find any more on the basic plots, I will post it for you. Sorry I didn't answer earlier. I've just had a super busy week.

The new fiction I see lately is a lot about self vs. self. Finding your way through troubles but on a more internal scale. I like this because it adds the opportunity to learn...like a moral. Lorena LorenaBBooks.com

no conflicts in fiction writing..........

Your story cannot exist without conflict. Something has to be at stake. If not, the plot is non-existent. The conflict in your story can be many different things. For a young child, a conflict could be something as simple as deciding what clothes to wear to school that day. For an older child, she might worry about being accepted into a certain peer group. For an adult, wanting to be more successful at work would be an option.

Basically, conflict is a dramatic struggle between 2 different forces in a story. There are 5 types of struggle � one character against another, a character against nature, a character against society, and a character against self, a character against fate.

Conflict