Conflicts in Stories

[P_I_M]

I don't understand

Do all stories have to have conflicts?

In my understanding, a conflict is a form of struggle but not all stories I read here appear to have a struggle

Am I missing something?

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

I don't understand

Do all stories have to have conflicts?

In my understanding, a conflict is a form of struggle but not all stories I read here appear to have a struggle

Am I missing something?

PIM, welcome to Lit.

You are right, on all counts. A story is made up of various elements such as: a beginning, middle, and end, plus some form of conflict and change. The classic example is: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back.

Many of the stories you'll find at Lit are actually vignettes, which are short literary sketches, often of just a single scene or incident such as a recounting of what happened on the night the boy and girl first make love.

There's nothing wrong with vignettes. However, a true story is usually a more enjoyable read.

Hope I haven't added more confusion that clarity.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Oblimo]

There are many flavors of conflict, too. One classic conflict in erotica is self-denial turning into self-discovery, and that sort of story has no true antagonist. It's also the classic conflict in Penthouse Forum letters told from the female POV.

To the vignette, I'd like to add the anecdote as the other form of smut that doesn't truly count as a story because it has no conflict. The anecdote is the classic porn short-story/Penthouse Forum letter from the male POV: "Let me tell you about the most amazing night in my life..."

 

[Cyberpawz]

Vignettes are good for a quick read, they are decent when giving a story an author time from their traditional story telling to just brain storm, or rot their brains out with useless splooge.

I personally have written more of them than I care to imagine and they will never be published for they are mindless brain rot in my opinion. I do though like writing stories with some level of conflict, in my opinion the problem is that many people who write stories thinks that a good masturbatory session with graphical writings only, and no real plot is a story worth writing, they are right to some extent, but those who are true "connoisseurs" and prefer more than the generic, tend to not agree and show so with their ratings.

Oblimo is right though most stories like that are good for penthouse. I would rather see a story with a plot, an antagonist, and a hero with some conflict, for a story that is enthralling, has twists and turns, as well as a little bit of raunchiness tends to intrigue me more than just a quick story which gets you "excited"...

Stories that are written in a manner that can be well received (notice I didn't say written well) with a plot and the traditional protagonist, and antagonist, will be read more for its value than a story that offers a quick wank. Although that is sometimes all someone wants though.

So don't take my word for it

 

[sr71plt]

Although there's always a chance (or a probability) that some clever author will come up with a story that doesn't have conflict (read "dilemma"--it doesn't mean that you have to have a fist fight), yes, the short story form is built on there being a conflict and change.

I've worked at writing where there is no change--and have one at Lit. where the whole point is lack of change--but I don't think I've ever managed one that doesn't have some sort of dilemma in it. That sounds a bit bland.

 

[Cyberpawz]

Although there's always a chance (or a probability) that some clever author will come up with a story that doesn't have conflict (read "dilemma"--it doesn't mean that you have to have a fist fight), yes, the short story form is built on there being a conflict and change.

I've worked at writing where there is no change--and have one at Lit. where the whole point is lack of change--but I don't think I've ever managed one that doesn't have some sort of dilemma in it. That sounds a bit bland.

A story without character change as well as a conflict of some sort is nearly impossible to create, everyone changes ever so subtly in one way or another in a story.

 

[sr71plt]

A story without character change as well as a conflict of some sort is nearly impossible to create, everyone changes ever so subtly in one way or another in a story.

Never say never (which is why the short story remains resilient). As I noted, the whole point of my "Distant Planets" was the lack of change. I've been told it works.

This is how the literary form progresses and evolves--by someone taking the "nevers" and changing them to the "sometimes"--and making them work.

 

[hmmnmm]

Also, while opposites don't always conflict, they can create a sense of friction or tension or whatever the right term would be, counterbalances: Sharp scream cutting across a soft summer night. stuff like that. At least methinks.