 Hello, hello, writers! I'm Kristin Kiefer, author of fantasy fiction and creative writing resources, and you are listening to the Well-Sturried podcast, where I share insights, encouragement, and actionable advice designed to help you craft sensational novels and build your best writing life. Always in 30 minutes or less, so you can get back to writing, of course. Ready for the show? Let's get talking! Hello, writers! My name is Kristin Kiefer, and you are listening to the Well-Sturried podcast. Today is Friday, May 22nd, 2020, and today's episode is entitled How to Build Epic Emotional Conflict by Utilizing Your Character's Lie. This article was originally published on November 9th, 2017, and has received a major overhaul that I'm excited to share with you today. If you would like to read along as you listen in, you can visit the episode transcript at well-sturried.com slash lie. Now let's dive in. At the heart of every good story is conflict. In plot-driven stories, this conflict is primarily external in nature. The protagonist fights to overcome a series of obstacles and or defeat an antagonist in their quest to achieve a particular goal. For example, in Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen must outlive her fellow competitors and outsmart the game maker's vicious whims to survive a televised fight to the death. However, in character-driven stories, external conflict often takes a back seat. Instead, it's internal conflict that drives the story forward as the protagonist struggles to overcome a core fear or flaw to achieve a particular goal and or become a better version of themselves. This fear or flaw often manifests in a false belief that's otherwise known as the lie your character believes. It's this lie that we're going to explore in detail today. It's worth noting, however, that no story should contain only one type of conflict. External actions have internal consequences and vice versa. So even if you're writing a plot-driven story, I encourage you to consider how your characters enter worlds and, specifically, the internal conflicts they experience might impact their journeys. But what is the lie your character believes exactly? In fiction, a character's lie is a false belief that serves as an obstacle in their life. Typically, a character's lie stems from one or more of the following elements, doubt, fear, regret, remorse, or a real or imagined flaw. Note that a character's doubt or fear can concern themselves or another character who's integral to the plot. To create effective internal conflict, the lie your character believes must serve as the antagonist in their internal journey, directly impacting their ability to achieve a goal, experience personal growth, and or realize a happier future. To become the person they need to be, your character must not only reject this lie, but accept an ultimate truth, a positive belief that will radically transform their worldview and, quite possibly, their life. For example, it's not uncommon for the hero or heroine in a romance novel to believe themselves unworthy of love due to a past transgression. This belief serves as their lie, creating both internal and external conflict as they begin to fall for their love interest. It's only in accepting the truth that they're worthy of love regardless of their past mistakes that the character can find their happily ever after. Similarly, a character in a plot-driven story might believe that they aren't brave enough to defeat the villain. It's only when they realize that bravery isn't a lack of fear, but rather the courage to take action despite that fear, that they find the strength to lead the charge and save the day. In storytelling, a character's lie is a powerful tool. Not only because it serves as the basis for most forms of internal conflict, but because it pervades nearly every aspect of your character and their story. An event from your character's past undoubtedly led them to form this deep seated belief, which, if well-developed, should impact their worldview, personality, relationships, voice, and beyond. Furthermore, your character's ultimate lie and truth also directly define their character arc, the internal transformation they experience throughout their journey. In positive arcs, a character rejects their lie and accepts the truth they need to transform their life for the better. The opposite occurs in negative arcs, where a character rejects an essential truth in favor of embracing a lie, resulting in an ultimate downfall. Your character's lie and truth even play a role in static arcs, where a character fights to maintain their truth despite the temptation of a lie. If you'd like to learn more about these three types of character arcs and many of the other concepts discussed in today's episode, check out the links included in today's episode transcript at well-storied.com-lie. Can you see just how powerful internal conflict can be, no matter the type of story you're writing? The push and pull your character's experience between their lies and truths do more than just impact their actions, reactions, and interactions. It also serves as an emotional bridge, encouraging readers to connect with your characters, sympathize with their struggles, and invest in their journeys. And it all begins with the lie your character believes. Thank you for listening to today's episode of The Podcast Writer. I hope you found it helpful to your writing journey. If so, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a new episode. And to give the podcast a quick rating and review. Doing so goes a long way toward helping the podcast reach new writers and lets me know that you're enjoying what I'm creating. You can also give me a shout out directly on Twitter at christen underscore keeper. For additional guidance as you work to craft sensational novels and build your best writing life, be sure to head on over to www.well-storied.com where I share blog posts, workbooks, e-courses, and other helpful resources for writers. Again, that's w-e-l-l-s-t-o-r-i-e-d.com. Thank you again for tuning in to today's episode, my friend. Until next time, happy writing!