Conflict

It is ridiculous to write that lately I have felt conflicted about the conflict in my novel, but there it is. As I have gone into describing the daily details of the lives of my characters (i.e. using all that valuable research), I have been avoiding the interpersonal conflict that some of their relationships would naturally have. In avoiding it, though unconsciously, I felt distanced from the story. After all, conflict is what draws us into a story, and especially this story. Conflict is not just about resolution, but also about discovery. If I avoid it altogether, probably because I don't want a soap operatic quality to the story, my characters will be hindered and limited. I will be like a mother that refuses to let her child learn how to walk for fear of his falling. So, this week, my characters are being allowed to naturally pursue their lives and develop their relatioships without my interference (hopefully). Time will tell if I have done well.