“That is what mesmerizes us: it’s what we’re curious about, it’s what gives us the inside info we’re hungry for. Yep, the protagonist’s internal struggle is the story’s third rail, the live wire that sparks our interest and drives the story forward.” (Lisa Cron, Story Genius)
Writing Exercise: The Live Wire of Internal Struggle
Techniques to Develop:
1. Internal Conflict as Narrative Engine – The protagonist’s internal struggle must be the force that moves the scene forward. Without it, events feel static or externally imposed. Every action, hesitation, and reaction must stem from this internal war.
2. Subtext and Emotional Contrast – Inner conflict should manifest not just in thoughts but in contradictions: what the character feels vs. what they show, what they want vs. what they do. The scene should crackle with emotional misalignment.
3. Tension Through Immediacy – The character’s struggle must be happening now in the moment, not in a reflective past. The reader should feel the heat of it pressing on every choice.
Writing Prompt (500 words):
Your protagonist has built their life around a belief they’ve never questioned—until now. Something has just happened that makes them see, for the first time, that this belief might be false, or worse, that they’ve been lying to themselves all along.
Write a scene in which they are in a seemingly ordinary setting (a dinner party, a late-night drive, a phone call, an airport terminal) but are suddenly flooded with the weight of this realization. They cannot express it outright—either because they don’t fully understand it yet, or because doing so would have immediate consequences. The scene must:
• Be rooted in the present moment, not backstory or summary.
• Show the internal conflict playing out in real-time through sensory details, micro-actions, and shifts in the protagonist’s perception.
• End with the protagonist making a choice—big or small—that reflects their struggle, even if they don’t consciously acknowledge it.
Evaluation Criteria:
• Strong Response: The internal struggle is urgent and specific, shaping the protagonist’s every interaction with their environment. Emotional shifts are rendered through carefully chosen details—how their hand lingers on a doorknob, how a spoon scrapes against porcelain just a little too hard. Dialogue, if present, carries layers of meaning, with the protagonist’s true emotions pressing against what is said or unsaid. There is a clear but subtle shift by the end—something in the protagonist has changed, even if no dramatic action has occurred.
• Weak Response: The internal conflict is vague or abstract, presented as a general feeling rather than an immediate crisis. The protagonist’s emotions are told rather than dramatized, leading to a lack of urgency. External details feel decorative rather than revealing of inner turmoil. The scene either resolves too neatly or remains static, with no meaningful shift in the protagonist’s internal state.
Follow-Up Questions for Workshopping/Revision:
1. Does the protagonist’s inner struggle feel specific enough to be compelling? Can it be sharpened?
2. How does the external environment reflect or contrast with the protagonist’s internal state?
3. Are there moments where the internal struggle is explained outright instead of revealed through action, subtext, or contrast?
4. What does the protagonist’s final choice—however small—suggest about the direction of their internal conflict?
Recommended Reading:
“Runaway” by Alice Munro – A masterclass in internal struggle. The protagonist’s shifting emotions are never directly stated, but every interaction, hesitation, and detail reveals the turbulence beneath.
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