Conflict Vs Crisis

Definitions and differences between crisis and conflict.

In this lesson I want to talk about the differences between conflict and crisis.

Let's look again at our story.  There is both crisis and conflict.  There is a dangerous man eating beast that guards the entrance to the cave where they will discover the remnants of Noah's Ark and answer a million questions about human civilization and open up a million more possibilities.  This is a crisis.  Our main character Andy must overcome his fear of heights to destroy the beast.  

However, killing the beast will also destroy what remains the of Noah's Ark and with it the hopes and dreams of archeological glory must also perish.  Killing the beast will save his life and those that still remain of his team.  This is conflict. 

His decision to destroy the beast and the ark with it produces a very rich character within which we see the tug of the self vs the pull of selflessness.

This conflict creates character struggle.  This internal struggle breathes life into your characters and throws out a story that will captivate the reader and keep their minds riveted to every page, always anxious to see what might turn up next.