How a Character’s Obstacles Drive the Story in Fiction Writing

Every great story has a protagonist—a hero or heroine at the heart of the plot. But what makes that protagonist truly compelling? It’s not just their deepest desire; it’s also the obstacles they face along their journey to achieving that desire. As a fiction writer, one of your key goals is to create a story with believable characters who have obstacles they must overcome. These obstacles should be both internal and external, as it adds depth and complexity to the story. Internal conflicts are the psychological issues – such as self-doubt or inner turmoil – that prevent your protagonist from obtaining their deepest desires. External obstacles are tangible blocks – like job loss, financial status, or relationships – that keep them from achieving what they want. Let’s explore how these types of conflicts can drive your story forward!

Internal Obstacles

Internal obstacles are those that come from within and are some of the most powerful tools you have to create a compelling story. They are based on lies that your protagonist has come to believe about themselves due to some form of wounding event in their past. This could be something as simple as growing up poor or having been treated unfairly by an authority figure. Or it could be something more complex like being told by a parent that they were unlovable.

These types of obstacles can be harder for the protagonist to overcome because they are coming from their own mind, making it difficult to see things objectively. However, these internal obstacles are powerful because they allow us to connect with the character on an emotional level and understand why they make certain choices even if we don’t agree with them.

Whatever the internal obstacle is, it will color the way your character views the world. The internal struggle impacts how the main character acts, reacts and thinks, and will prevent them from achieving their deepest desire until they can confront it and find truth in its place.  The main character’s internal struggle and the resolution of that struggle combine to make the point you want to make with your story.

External Obstacles

External obstacles are those that come from outside sources such as job loss, relationships, financial status, etc. These types of obstacles can be easier for the character to overcome because they often have more tangible solutions than internal ones do. For example, a job loss could lead to searching for new employment opportunities or starting a business of their own. External obstacles can also provide interesting plot twists since there is always the possibility of unexpected events or other characters entering the scene.

But like internal obstacles, external conflicts also stand between your protagonist and success, just in a more tangible way. Keep in mind, the goal here is not just to put an obstacle between your character and his/her desired outcome; it should also show us something about him/her on a deeper level so we see how they handle adversity and difficult situations. This external conflict should also result in growth for the character as they learn and grow through overcoming these challenges.

A well-crafted story needs obstacles for its characters to overcome; otherwise, it won’t be interesting or engaging for the reader! By creating internal conflicts based on lies that your protagonist believes and external conflicts that challenge them physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually, you will craft a compelling story with depth and meaning. With this combination of inner struggles and tangible hindrances, you can bring your characters alive on paper with believable stories readers won’t soon forget!

This is the type of work I do with my clients as they write their books—fiction and nonfiction. If you’d like to get a taste of this type of coaching and see if it’s a good fit for you, I am giving away 30 FREE one-hour coaching sessions in the coming weeks. Go here to sign up.