Goal and Conflict

Do you know why you read?  According to James Scott Bell, in "The Art of War for Writers," you read to worry.  You like to follow a character who has a goal and a resulting conflict and then you like to worry along with him until he gets it figured out, overcomes the conflict and achieves his goal. 

As a writer, I had no idea there were so many things you need to accomplish in a book!  A goal and a conflict for each scene, three overarching conflicts for each novel, an inner turmoil in the main character (caused by a wound from the past) and an inner conflict caused by a current problem.  Add to that romance, personal growth, a plot, style, etc., etc.  Writing is not for the faint of heart.

But, if you have a story and a burning desire to put that story on paper, then you will persevere and you will write that story.  If you want others to read it, then you will study the art of writing and you will "practice" at it until you have it just right.  If you want it published, then you will fight to get your work out there and you will take whatever comes and do whatever it takes. 

All of us have goals in life and all of us have a lot of conflict, too.  So, what is one of my goals right now?  I hope to have my book ready by this time next year to enter into the Genesis Competition with American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).  My conflict comes when I try to find time to work on my book.  It also comes in the form of not knowing if I should work on my book, study the art of writing, or work on my blog.  Not to mention the conflict happening in my home with four children, a dog, a cat and a mound of laundry.  I definitely don't have to worry about coming up with goals and conflicts in my own life - I will reserve that for my book.

Thanks for coming alongside to "worry" with me until I accomplish my goal.

What about you?  What are your goals and what are your conflicts in achieving those goals?