Thoughts on conflict & the states of several writing projects

I recently read a book that so misunderstood literary conflict, as a reader/writer I was almost insulted. Many people, however, don’t understand what conflict should be— when the goals and motivations of a characters in a narrative are opposed by the goals and motivations of another character. It is not two characters arguing, although that can stem from the conflict and add tension to a scene. There has to be more meat and depth to the fight than just misunderstanding the other person’s point of view— which is why you have to be invested, and you have to have something at stake, for conflict to work.

And as I was writing up my thoughts on that particular novel, I was struck by how intense my feelings were, and wondered why it should matter so much. What was making my skin itch with the wrongness? The truth was embarrassing to admit— quite a few of my novels lack appropriate conflict, including my eternal fantasy wip, IPOM, which I have been steadily poking all month.

( thoughts on my eternal fantasy wip behind the cut )

( thoughts on November's Nanowrimo, Good Seed-- aka the novella about a woman who is fighting off possession in the weirdness of Portland that really should have a better title )

( other projects beyond the two )