Hi, I’m Malcolm and welcome Tension Tuesdays! Every story needs tension, it’s what keeps the reader guessing and turning the pages. Tension can take many forms, positive or negative. This week we start with the negative – conflict. In every story there must be conflict. Possibly not all out war or physical violence, but different people have different points of view, which don’t always match.
The Prompt
Write a short story of conflict between two people, protagonist and antagonist.
Tips
- For this exercise it is probably easiest to make this virtually all dialogue. You can hint at a place or setting, but that is not important here.
- Chose two characters with opposing points of view on any subject you like; the weather, love, romance, fidelity, infidelity, what to watch on TV, sport, you choose.
- Try to express how each character is feeling, by what they say and how they say it. What emotions is the disagreement or argument releasing?
- What about the ending? There has to be a resolution in some shape or form. How is this achieved? There must be conciliation on each side or a punch up!
- A good length would be up to 1,000 words. Many more and it is likely to drag on into full blown civil war!
- A word of warning, politics and religion are not on the agenda!
OK, now stop arguing and start writing!
Malcolm Richardson has been writing creatively for the last ten years. After a slow start focussing on a novel, which is still only half completed he has concentrated on short stories over the last few years. One day the novel may be resurrected, but his current focus is entering short stories in competitions. Malcolm is a latecomer to blogging, but his Story a Day stories can be found here.
Make sure to post a comment below, with a link to your story.
Sorry I’m late! I’ll have everything posted tomorrow! https://storiesin5minutes.wordpress.com/2015/09/08/elements-storyaday-post/
Well done, better late than never. That’s an impressive story for so few words.
Still writing on time; still behind with revising and posting…hoping to get caught up over the next few days…one more longer story, then two shorter ones.
Anyway, I went through several scenarios between Trip and T’Pol, who certainly have plenty of conflict, before I realized there was a tense and conflict-laden confrontation Trip had to make with the Captain, who is also his best friend…and who wanted the pretty Vulcan girl….
https://storyaday.org/shanjeniah/2015/09/12/we-have-every-right-stad-for-september-8-2015/
Finally.
https://untitledunfinished.wordpress.com/2015/09/08/stada-september-2015-tension-tuesday/
I sort of combined both of today’s prompts. I’m still feeling quite off about the writing this month. I guess I can’t expect something good every day. You can read my story here: https://storiesbystolle.wordpress.com/2015/09/08/day-8-land-of-good-and-plenty. The password is 8.
I decided to combine this prompt with the other one to give myself an added challenge. I don’t think this is the best story I’ve come up with, but it was fun to combine the elements together!
https://unusualstrangeness.wordpress.com/2015/09/08/story-a-day-challenge-day-8-collaboration/
That is brilliant, I love how you combined the prompts. There was certainly plenty of conflict there!
I had a hard time getting started on this one. The prompt was so general that I had too many options!
http://susan-reads.blogspot.com/2015/09/come-with-me.html
If I can find time today I’m going to have to write to BOTH the prompts, I like them so much.
Conflict? I can do that!
http://writerishramblings.com/2015/09/08/story-a-day-challenge-day-8-the-contract/
Hahaha! This was fun. (Wait, should I be worried that I enjoyed someone else’s conflict so much?)
And I have an answer for his question, if he’s interested… 😉
Well done Kristi, great story in so few words.