So I saw one of these "Be a better writer..." ads pop up on my
newsfeed recently. Maybe I was tired and my mental defences were low,
but I read the first paragraph. The key thing, this short story expert
was telling me, was that a story HAD to have conflict. It's just a
journal entry if it doesn't have conflict, it says in absolute tones.
You cannot have a good story without conflict. Your protagonist has to
face an opponent, be it another person, nature, god or circumstances
...
Sounds great. I love a good dust up. I love stories about overcoming
adversity. I love them in the traditional and the unusual sense. Some of
my favourite writers are masters of devising and setting up conflict...
Then there is Angela Carter...
