One of my favorite structures in a story is simply Goal, Conflict, Disaster/Resolution. The character has a goal. Oops, something is in the way of that goal, causing the section to end in a disaster (or relief). It can be simple -- I want to walk to the other side of the room, but a bucket and mop are mysteriously present, and I slip on slick floor which has just been washed. Or it can be complex -- I want to win the job interview to feed my family, but I have a stutter and anxiety trips me up so I not only don't get the job, I'm forced to go to my brother's arrogant friend for a loan.
So what is a Goal? It's anything that answers the question, "What result do I want?" Conflict is, "Who or what stands in the way of that goal?" Disaster/resolution answers the question, "Do I get the goal?" Resolve the conflict with the character achieving the goal (after struggling, of course!), or hit the character with disaster and crank up the story engine even more.
Published since 2009, over the years I've accumulated various items of writing wisdom. The Third Tuesday Writing Tidbit showcases these items in no particular order. Click here to see all 3T Tidbits.
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