Conflict is a powerful ingredient across all genres and mediums, punching up the pace, cranking up the pressure, and pulling readers into the story.
Below are the entries from the first volume of The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles. You can also find a list of entries from the 2nd Volume of The Conflict Thesaurus at the bottom of this page.
RELATIONSHIP FRICTION
A Divorce or Breakup
A Child Wanting to Live with One’s Ex
A Love Interest Taking up with Someone Else
A Partner Being Unwilling to Commit
A Romance Being Stymied
A Romantic Competitor Entering the Scene (Click to view!)
An Estranged Relative Showing Up
An Ex Interfering in One’s Life
An Unwanted Romantic Advance
Being Betrayed or Abandoned by a Trusted Ally or Friend
Being Cheated On
Being Forced to Marry
Being Ignored or Blown Off
Being Insulted
Being Manipulated
Being Rejected by a Potential Love Interest
Being Taken for Granted
Being Unable to Forgive Someone
Disappointing Someone
Discovering a Spouse’s Secret
Domestic Abuse
Family Secrets Being Revealed
Having to Betray a Friend or Loved One
Having to Break Someone’s Heart
Losing One’s Temper
One’s Infidelity Being Discovered
Peer Pressure
Seeing an Ex with Someone New
Sexual Dysfunction
FAILURES AND MISTAKES
A Lie Impacting Someone Else
A Prank Going Wrong
Being Unprepared
Breaking or Destroying an Important Item
Causing a Car Accident
Causing a Workplace Hazard
Confiding in the Wrong Person
Doing Something Stupid While Impaired
Dropping the Ball
Failing at Something
Getting Caught Doing Something Wrong
Getting Caught in a Lie (Click to view!)
Having a One-Night Stand with a Co-Worker
Having Poor Judgment
Losing a Bet
Losing a Phone
Making a Bad Investment
Making a Crucial Mistake at Work
Sending a Private Message to the Wrong Person
Taking Advice from the Wrong Person
Underestimating Danger
Unknowingly Sharing Incorrect Information
MORAL DILEMMAS AND TEMPTATIONS
Being Given an Opportunity to Cheat
Being Offered an Easy Way Out (Click to view!)
Being Offered Dirty Money
Being Pressured to Cover for a Friend
Breaking the Law for a Good Reason
Discovering an Outcome Has Been Fixed
Facing a Difficult Decision with No Easy Solution
Having Feelings for Someone One Shouldn’t
Having to Decide to Help or Do Nothing
Having to Steal to Obtain Something Vital
Indulging When One Shouldn’t
Leaving Someone to the Consequences of Their Actions
Making a Discovery That Threatens the Bond of Friendship
Needing to Sabotage Someone to Win
Pulling the Plug on Someone
Sacrificing Ethics or Morals for the Greater Good
Someone Witnessing One’s Misbehavior
Witnessing Abuse
Witnessing Corruption
Witnessing Discrimination
DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
A Child Getting Sick
A Problem at a Child’s School
An Elderly Loved One Requiring Care
Being Assigned an Undesirable Partner
Being Assigned an Unpleasant Task
Being the Bearer of Bad News
Bureaucracy Tying One’s Hands
Chafing Under Poor Leadership
Childcare Falling Through
Having to Break a Promise
Having to Punish Someone
Having to Work with an Enemy
Losing A Job
Losing A Source of Transportation
Needing to Disobey an Order
Receiving a Bad Performance Review
Work-Life Balance Being Threatened
INCREASED PRESSURE AND TICKING CLOCKS
A Deadline Being Moved Up
A Delay That Makes One Late
Being Blackmailed
Being Given an Ultimatum
Being Hunted
Being Made to Wait
Being Saddled with Unexpected Responsibility
Being Thrust into the Spotlight
Getting Lost
Having to Beat the Clock
Having to Prove One’s Innocence
Incurring an Unexpected Expense
Missing an Important Meeting or Deadline
Realizing One is at a Disadvantage
Unwanted Scrutiny
NO-WIN SCENARIOS
Being Caught in the Middle
Being Set Up to Fail
Being Unable to Save Everyone
Conflicting Internal Needs or Desires
Having to Hurt Someone to Save Them from a Worse Fate
Having to Pick the Lesser of Two Evils
Needing to Sacrifice One for the Good of the Many (Click to view!)
More about this book
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See the list of entries from Volume 2 of The Conflict Thesaurus
