It's been awhile since I have been here. I do apologize for the lack of attention to my blog. I have a lot on my mind today and it has nothing to do with writing although I suppose it could be turned into something. I should be happy. My youngest is graduating very soon but I'm sad. Things are just not good on the home front. Emotional abuse. Has anyone every thought about it and what it does to a person? To me, Verbal and Emotional abuse are worse than physical. There was a very loud discussion between me and my significant other today that I am most positive many of my neighbors heard. How could you help not hearing all the yelling coming from my doorstep. We fought about our daughter graduating and not being able to do anything for her. I was called lazy and stupid and a bitch. Rude comments were made about the television and many many other things. This has been going on for a very very long time. Years. Most times I either cry or I get angry over it. Today it was a mixture. I cried and I was very very angry. Mostly hurt that after twenty plus years this is STILL going on and nothing ever changes. It doesn't seem to matter how many times the issues are discussed. I am good for nothing, I get not one ounce of respect. I have to find a way to deal with all of this. It's getting to me worse and worse each day. I can't think of a day in the last month I have not cried.

Conflict: Interal/External

Conflict! It's a very important word when you are a writer. We need conflict on every single page to move our stories forward. Our hero's and heroine's have goals, or at least they should. Conflicts are the obstacles that prevent them from reaching their goals immediately. It's a bubble in the road so to speak. At each bubble, your hero or heroine should have to make a choice. This creates more suspense, more conflict. As in every day life, we all make choices. Our choices always have consequences. They consequences may be good or bad. The same goes with our writing. Our characters too will have consequences for their choices that they must face.

Internal Conflict is something which occurs when your H/H is confronted with a problem that presents difficult choices. It's the dilemma facing the H/H inside of themselves. It is a problem and your character will have two difficult choices to choose between, but they have to choose. Each choice will lead to consequences weather good, or bad. By the end of our novel, this will show us how our character has grown and changed.

External Conflict is a problem outside of our character's control. Most times it is a struggle between our Main Character, (protagonist) and our Villain,(antagonist) but it can also be something else. Perhaps it's nature. An avalanche has occurred or an earthquake. Perhaps there is a fire and they need to get the H/H out of that burning building. What choice did your H/H make? What happened as a result of that choice? Did it create more bubbles in the road? More obstacles for them to overcome? In the beginning it should. If all the conflict is resolved immediately, you book will be finished. That is why we need conflict on every page until our story is complete. The conflicts are mounting, each having a more severe consequences than the other until we reach our climax, or black moment.

Whatever is standing in your Hero or Heroine's way is what is creating that conflict and tension. Your should be asking yourself, What is going to happen if they DON'T reach their goal?
Conflicts will keep your story moving. If your are writing suspense, you will need many conflicts. Suspense should fast paced. In order for your story to keep moving, there needs to be more and more obstacles, some small and some large. They all don't have to be resolved right away, but by the end of your novel, all conflicts are resolved.

Conflict is the excitement that makes your story move forward, the reason the H/H can't immediately reach their goal. It propels your story onward, therefore you need plenty of it! Give your characters trouble and lots of it!!! Make things hard for them. Your readers will love you for it.

Flash Fiction Challenge

What a nice way to begin my blog! I have never written Flash fiction and I have never entered a
contest or challenge before. There was a challenge posed to me in a writing group I recently became involved with and I took the plunge! We were to write a flash fiction story based on a picture that was sent for inspiration. It was to be no longer than 250 words. When I finally decided to stop procrastinating and give it a try, I had three hours before the the midnight deadline. I emailed my story off with seven minutes to spare. Yesterday the news came to my inbox that I was the runner up. I am so excited. If you're a writer and have been thinking about entering a contest, go ahead! What are you waiting for? I have always been afraid to, never feeling as though my writing would be worthy enough. Recently I've been coming out of my shell in many aspects as far as my writing goes. I'm so thankful for all of the writers who have helped me along the way. My next challenge will be getting my Romantic Suspense novel sent out! It just goes to show, you will never know if you could have accomplised if you do not try! Let this be an inspiration to all you writers out there. Submit, submit! You never know what will happen. Don't ever give up on YOU!
If you are interested in reading the story, click the link below.
Faith Bicknell-Brown