Good stories center on the clashing of characters’ goals and motivations. Sometimes a character’s goals and motivations arise from overcoming suppression. Here are four writing prompts for stories that center on resistance.
Man vs. nature
Our protagonist is ordered to secretly escort an important dignitary through an extremely dangerous terrain. What challenges of nature must the protagonist overcome to accomplish his mission? What if the greatest obstacle he faces is a human conspiracy involving the dignitary?
Man vs. man
How does our main character deny an attraction that he and another character, who is a real mismatch, feel for one another? Why are they mismatched? What do they find attractive about one another? How do they resist this attraction? How do they ultimately come together?
Man vs. society
What if two characters form a bond with one another despite their disparate backgrounds? Why and how does this bond form? What resistance does this connection face from society? How do they ensure their bond survives in spite of the prevailing, prejudiced culture?
Man vs. himself
Is the power of passion greater than the force of expectation? What if our protagonist must decide between his personal desire for freedom and what her family/culture require of him? Which will he choose?
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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past decade, I’ve helped more than 300 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the 7 Minutes a Day… writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.