Conflict is what holds characters back from achieving their objectives — and it’s also what propels our stories forward and makes them resonate deeply with readers.

That’s what this guide is all about: what conflict looks like and how to weave it into our stories. We start by examining the four fundamental types of conflict, then we dig into how to identify and create the conflict that will give your story the depth, tension, and emotional resonance that will make readers sit up and pay attention.