Creating Conflict, with Jacqueline Sheehan

Making nice with each other may be our goal in life, but when it comes to writing riveting stories and compelling characters, conflict is key. Whether external or internal, conflict is the cog that turns the wheels of a narrative and creates needed catharsis. What your characters say or do under pressure uncovers their natures and desires and reveals how they must change…  But how do you create conflict in a way that doesn’t feel contrived? In this half-day workshop, writers explore ways to create conflict that propels plot and deepens character. We’ll discuss internal and external forces working against the main character’s desires and how even the use of language, imagery and sense detail can raise the stakes and keep our readers transfixed.
 
Saturday, March 12, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ($75)

Jacqueline Sheehan, PhD is the New York Times bestselling author of The Comet’s Tale, Lost & Found, Now & Then, Picture This, The Center of the World, and The Tiger in the House. She writes NPR commentaries, travel articles, and essays including the New York Times column, “Modern Love.” She edited the anthology, Women Writing in Prison. Jacqueline teaches workshops at Grub Street in Boston and around the world. Find out more at http://www.jacquelinesheehan.com/