“It’s not merely a surface problem, either, but one that causes the protagonist to struggle with a specific internal conflict at every turn, so that at the end she sees things quite differently than she did at the beginning.” (Lisa Cron, Story Genius)
Writing Exercise: The Pressure Beneath the Plot
Key Techniques Illustrated by the Quotation:
Internal conflict as a driver of external action Character transformation rooted in perception shift Scene-level expression of evolving internal struggle
500-Word Writing Prompt:
Write a scene where your protagonist encounters a seemingly minor external obstacle—a missed train, a cold dinner, a misdelivered package—but the real tension must come from how this external event triggers an internal conflict rooted in a core misbelief or unresolved emotional need. The character’s reactions, choices, and perception of others must reveal a deeper struggle that persists throughout the scene. The moment must leave the character altered—not fixed, but changed in how they now interpret their circumstances.
You must:
Keep the scene rooted in present action Avoid internal monologue dumps—show the internal shift through subtext, dialogue, body language, sensory detail, or avoidance The character must not articulate their internal change; the reader must infer it
Evaluation Criteria:
Successful responses will:
Ground a clear, specific internal conflict in the protagonist (e.g., fear of abandonment, belief they’re unworthy, need for control) Use a concrete, vivid scene to reveal how the internal conflict shapes the character’s perception and decisions Avoid tidy resolutions; aim for shifts in perception, not moral lessons Employ subtext rather than exposition to communicate internal struggle Demonstrate tension between what the character wants vs. what they need
Weak responses will:
Focus on surface events without revealing internal consequences Rely on exposition or generic internal monologue to explain conflict Present change as plot convenience, not earned through pressure Leave the protagonist emotionally static or inexplicably changed Resolve the conflict rather than deepen or complicate it
Follow-Up Questions for Workshopping/Revision:
What does the protagonist believe at the beginning of the scene that they start to question by the end? How does their behavior contradict or reinforce their internal misbelief? What cues in body language, dialogue, or pacing reveal inner tension? Is the shift in perspective implicit, earned, and emotionally consistent? What’s unresolved, and does it deepen the reader’s engagement?
Recommended Reading:
Excerpt from Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (specifically the story “Pharmacy”)
Demonstrates how a character’s internal misbelief (emotional repression, fear of connection) clashes with ordinary life events, yielding layered tension and subtle transformation.
Strong vs. Weak Response Examples (brief summaries):
Strong:
A woman misses her train and lashes out at the attendant, but through the course of waiting, we see her fear of being forgotten after her mother’s recent death. Her annoyance masks grief. When the train finally arrives, she lets a stranger board first. She doesn’t say why—but the reader feels it.
Weak:
A man gets the wrong food delivery and angrily calls the restaurant. He reflects in direct exposition that he’s “always had a temper because of his dad.” He apologizes, learns his lesson, and promises to be nicer. No tension remains. Nothing is dramatized; everything is told.
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