Jabrosky
Banned
We've all heard the advice that stories need conflict in order to provide tension. I for one think that "conflict" is a misleading word that doesn't capture all the possible sources of tension in a story. The term connotes a battle between opposing intelligent forces, a hero fighting a villain, but then there are viable stories where there is no sentient antagonist at all. In most disaster movies, for example, the characters' problems stem not from conflicts with other characters but from unthinking natural phenomena. Of course you could still construe the plot as featuring a "man vs nature" conflict, but that requires stretching the definition of conflict beyond its conventional use.
I submit that "problem" or "challenge" would work better to address tension within a story. "Problem" still implies that the characters aren't getting their way all the time and have to move out of their comfort zone, but it doesn't necessitate a villain to consciously oppose them.
I submit that "problem" or "challenge" would work better to address tension within a story. "Problem" still implies that the characters aren't getting their way all the time and have to move out of their comfort zone, but it doesn't necessitate a villain to consciously oppose them.