How can I develop good ideas for conflict stories?

Look at real - life situations. For instance, conflicts at work, like colleagues competing for a limited number of promotions. You can take this and fictionalize it for your short story.

To develop conflict ideas for a fantasy story, start with the setting. If your story is set in a world divided by a great chasm, the two sides could be in conflict over resources or different beliefs. You can also play with the concept of fate. A character who is fated to be a great hero but wants a normal life creates an internal conflict. Additionally, think about hierarchies. In a world of magic, there could be a conflict between the high - level mages who hoard knowledge and power and the lower - level mages who want equality. It's all about creating opposing forces and desires within your story world.

Look at real - world issues. For instance, environmental problems can be a source. Imagine a story where a small community's way of life is threatened by a large corporation's plan to build a factory that will pollute their land. The conflict is between the community's right to a clean environment and the corporation's drive for profit.

Look at your own experiences. Maybe that time you got lost in a new city can be turned into an adventure story. You just need to exaggerate some parts and add fictional elements.

You can start by observing the world around you. People you meet, places you visit, and things you do can all be sources of inspiration. For instance, if you notice an old, abandoned building, you could create a story about the secrets it holds or the people who used to live there.

One idea could be a character's internal conflict between following their dreams or fulfilling family expectations. For example, a young artist who wants to study art in Paris but their parents expect them to take over the family business. This creates a strong conflict as the character has to decide between their passion and their sense of family duty.

Person vs. society conflict. For instance, a character in a dystopian society who rebels against the strict laws and rules that suppress individuality. The character might start a small act of resistance like writing subversive graffiti, which then escalates as the authorities try to hunt them down.

Think about the feelings that Christmas evokes. It's a time of joy, but also of reflection and sometimes loneliness. You can base a story on a character who is feeling lonely during Christmas, like an old man in an old - age home. Then, a group of carol - singers come and bring some cheer into his life. This not only creates a heart - warming story but also shows the true meaning of Christmas.

Read a lot of mystery novels and watch mystery movies. This exposes you to different plot devices and mystery - solving techniques. For example, you can learn how to create red herrings from the works of Agatha Christie. Another way is to think about real - life mysteries like unsolved crimes or historical enigmas and adapt them into your story. You can also start with a simple question, like 'What if a person woke up in a place they didn't recognize with no memory of how they got there?' and build a mystery around it.

You can start by looking at your own fears. For example, if you're afraid of the dark, think about what could be lurking in the shadows. Maybe there's an unseen entity that only reveals itself when it's pitch - black. Another way is to draw inspiration from real - life events, but add a supernatural or disturbing twist. Like a real - life murder case, but the murderer is a shape - shifter. Also, think about classic horror tropes like vampires or werewolves and put a new spin on them.