And don't let the solution just fall into your characters' laps. Make them work for it!

Tell me: what's your story's external and internal conflict?

☑️ 3. Ensure it's hard to resolve

The second that you resolve the conflict, all your story's tension dies. We start to wonder: why am I still here? What am I reading for?

So make sure there’s something unresolved and uncomfortable pulling us through the rest of the story.

Great example: Arrival.

The external conflict: navigating humans' first contact with aliens

The internal conflict: Louise grieving the daughter she will have and lose

Internal conflict is what your protagonist is battling inside their own mind—their most painful memories, their biggest regrets, or their deepest fears.

If your plot only contains external conflict, your story is only halfway there. The best stories also incorporate strong internal conflict.

☑️ 2. Include both internal and external conflict

External conflict is what we think about first when we're creating a plot. This involves any outside forces that are out of your protagonist's control, like losing a job, battling a war, or confronting a bully.

Bad example: Your protagonist, who's engaged, suddenly revealing they've had a secret boyfriend for years (who has never been mentioned).

Good example: Your protagonist's mother vehemently disapproving of her fiancé, making her question whether they're right for each other.

Conflict should never feel like a random plot twist thrown in just to spice things up. It should always be rooted in who your characters are, the environment they’re in, and the choices they’ve made.

☑️ 1. Make it believable

If your conflict comes out of nowhere, readers are going to check out and lose trust in your storytelling. The conflict should feel organic, something the plot has been building to.

Instead, they:
✅ Connect with other writers
✅ Take a break from their story to come back with fresh eyes
✅ Change up their routine to kickstart creativity again
✅ Read something new

And the biggest thing...they KEEP WRITING.

You've got this.

Even highly established authors feel periods of writer’s block or waning motivation for writing. Periods where they doubt themselves and their story.

It's part of being a writer. But the ones who make it don't let these obstacles stop them.

Psst: want more insight from successful authors, top literary agents, and publishing insiders?

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I've worked with hundreds of authors, and I can tell you that NEVER has an author said to me, "I regret working on my book." Not one.

Be proud of this project. Be proud of yourself.

You chose to dedicate your precious time and energy to telling a story that means something to you. A story that will touch others someday—perhaps even change lives.

In today’s interview, Amy shares her querying process and what happened after she didn’t sell her first book.

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So many now-published authors were in your exact shoes.

From author Amy Rossi: "I continued to receive rejection after rejection—at least 70—and by the time I signed with [my agent], it was January 2020—almost 3 and a half years into the journey."

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