Does it require a genius to write Inner Conflict?
No it doesn´t, but It takes being human and understand being human, inner conflict is the human elements internal to the characters that makes us empathize with them and understand them.
Before I move on, I’d like to address something I mentioned in a previous article – something that may have discouraged many people from pursuing this craft, unjustly so. The phrase is, “…but it takes either a genius or a lot of practice to write truly compelling inner conflicts…”. To set the record straight, I wasn’t entirely wrong about it; I just want to clarify my point.
When I talk about a genius, I’m referring to someone who can naturally understand their characters. If you’re anything like me, you need practice, repetition, and a commitment to spending time seated, be it on a chair, cushion, or the floor. There’s no way around it.
Foolish is the one who merely waits for “inspiration.” If you want to pursue this craft professionally or even as a serious hobby, you need to adopt a factory worker mentality. There’s no elaborate formula; it’s all about putting in the work, both in writing and studying the craft.
What’s that, Timmy? The Muse? Well, let me ask you this – do you really want to rely solely on chance? No? Then the Muse should serve as a source of inspiration, something that operates in the background. Depending on her or any external factor might leave you stuck in your work.
What? Are you feeling confused, Timmy? No worries, I’ll explain further. To expand on what I mentioned earlier, the author and the story are indeed two distinct elements, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t connected. You can’t write about something you don’t know, which implies that whatever you create, be it a book, novel, comic, or love letter to your mother in law so you can piss her off on her birthday, will contain a piece of you, a fragment of your identity. You’re essentially taking a small part of the chaos in your mind and shaping it into something structured. This is why you must put in the effort, why you need to sit down every day and work on it. If you want to succeed in this, you have to rely on what you are capable of.
Let me be clear, Timmy. I don’t care about your self-confidence; I care about what you can achieve with what you know. The difference between being a genius and not is how naturally something comes to you, because even geniuses must put in the work.
You won’t get anywhere by recoiling in fear, you won’t write a single word while consumed by insecurity, and you won’t finish anything if you’re constantly seeking perfection.
Let me share a little secret with you, Timmy, though it’s not really a secret; it’s something many people struggle to grasp, especially in today’s world. When you’re writing, you’re discovering more about the story, its identity, and the characters within it. What bothers me about the present day is how people often share recipes and methods as if a story can be baked like a cake in the oven. A good story is a living entity, a dance of external and inner conflicts. You can’t simply fit it neatly into boxes to check off as you go along. As you write, the story essentially writes itself, and that’s all thanks to your characters.
I intend to delve deeper into this concept later, but for now, what you need to understand is that inner conflicts inform external conflicts. They’re the inner demons, nightmares, flaws, and convictions, whether true or false. If you ever delve into the study of human behavior (which you should if you’re in this craft, but that’s a discussion for another time), you’ll realize that many people might seem irrational to outside observers, yet they are entirely rational within their own context. They say that sunlight is the best disinfectant, and that’s especially true for bad ideas. But what if your character has no one to trust? What if your character is a habitual liar? Chains of events rarely start by random chance – they must have meaning in a story. Why, you ask, Timmy? Well, let me tell you why; it’s because you shouldn’t waste people’s time!. That’s the gravest sin you can commit in storytelling.
Inner conflicts are challenging, mainly because of their paramount importance. They constitute a core reason why we genuinely care about characters, their struggles, achievements, and failures. Our emotional connection to characters stems from our ability to resonate with their inner turmoils, their emotions, their suffering, and their tears.
I may not fully grasp what it’s like to be a magic-wielding, glowing sword-toting space wizard, but I can comprehend their pain, their feelings of loss, their greed, or their grief. The intricacies of inner conflict can be difficult to depict because they are so god damn human, and writers often overlook them. So, how can you effectively convey these inner struggles? Well, Timmy, it comes down to repetition.
This era is a fantastic time for writers. You can write 500 words, erase them, and the only thing you’ve lost is time. All writing is, at its core, rewriting. Therefore, you must revisit your work multiple times before considering it complete. You can bedazzle your audience with all the vibrant colors and imaginative settings you like, but if your characters lack depth, it’s nothing more than empty spectacle.
As I mentioned earlier, I’ll delve into this more thoroughly later, but rest assured, it doesn’t require genius; it simply demands dedication, a little bit of human understanding and the willingness to put in the effort.
