tension

A while ago, she says vaguely, I realized my writing had a problem and that problem was tension, or lack thereof. Sure, I can do some banter but, mostly, my characters agree with each other. If you're not gasping in horror, perhaps you should be.

I've heard speaker after speaker at conference after conference* say that writing is about tension. People aren't interested in books where everything goes along smoothly and beautifully. We want to escape the mundane. We want conflict. Plot is conflict and conflict is tense. Well, I'm trying. But the problem with inserting tension is that it's hard. It's not a one time vaccine that's quick and easy. Done poorly, it feels contrived and unnecessary. Conflict for conflict's sake? That's not what books are about. I must be missing something.

So I've been trying to figure out conflict and I've come to this insanely simple conclusion that probably isn't worth mentioning because it's one of those anticlimactic truths that, after you say it, makes you feel like an imbecile for needing to speak the words out loud. Here it is anyway: times of conflict are when people grow.

Simple, right? At the time it was pretty groundbreaking. See, for me, novels aren't about conflict. Stories aren't about the battle for good and evil or impossible situations. They're about people and reactions and decisions and personal progress.

Which means that, yes, stories revolve around issues but only because that's when people change. Conflict for the sake of it is lame but reasonable adversity facilitates growth. Whoa, intelligent speak.

Yay for revelations. Now I just need to reinstate writing every morning and all will be grande.

The tension in my life right now is manifesting in my shoulders. Let me tell you something: back pain sucks. It doesn't help that I'm perpetuating the problem by trying to knit a hat by Friday. Ah well. On a side note, in less than four weeks, I will hopefully be licensed to drive without a supervisor in the car. How's that for progress? As for more progress, I'm posting this before dinner. And I'm fully awake. Fancy that.


*well, actually it's the same conference, different years.