If you’re a storyteller and you want to compel readers, you want them to feel something when they read. And that means you need to use techniques using in novels and storytelling across the ages. It’s pure magic, isn’t it, that we can create a physical reaction in someone through how we write a story?! I still find it incredible that I can read something, in silence, and feel my gut tighten, throat clam up, or even burst into tears at the culmination of a narrative.
Effectively-written stories lead to very physical reactions. Think about the books you’ve never forgotten – no doubt they had a really physical reaction on you. Perhaps a section brought you to tears or laughter, or fear or even anxiety for the protagonist.
In daily life, this one key aspect gives us a physical reaction – from tightness in the chest, to excitement, to fear.
So what is this one thing every story needs for a physical reaction?
Read on for the answer – and the important things to know about where and how to include this crucial aspect to your storytelling in order to engage and compel readers to turn the pages of your narrative nonfiction.

Inspire a physical reaction to your story by including this

The secret to getting a physical, palpable reaction in a reader is including conflict in your story – and knowing where to put it.

With any story – memoir, particularly – conflict is necessary to keep readers turning the page.

Positive stories must have this thing, too!

Even if you’re writing a self-help book or a guidebook on a positive topic, like Jen Sincero’s You’re a Badass At Making Money, you must illustrate contrast and difficulty in reaching an objective to keep the reader invested in turning the pages.

Think about it – we all have so many things vying for our attention – the content we’re exposed to on a daily basis is dizzying. The reader needs to be gripped more than ever. EVEN in a positive book!

So – Sincero does this well in her Badass books by weaving in some failures (problems and challenges she faced en route to making money) to maintain our curiosity. But she’s very clear with where she puts that ‘conflict’ so you still trust her (the guide, as the author of a self-help book) and don’t lose trust in her expertise.

Boring stories have no bumps on the road to the objective

“An effective story grabs your gut, tightens your throat, makes your heart race and your lungs pump, brings tears to your eyes or an explosion of laughter to your lips.”

Christopher Vogler

The most unsatisfying memoirs don’t include these crucial aspects of friction.
They’re superficial and keep the reader at arms length, as though the writer is too scared to dig a bit deeper or expose any vulnerability. They can even give off the  impression that the writer was afraid to look too deeply into their motivations to find the real driving desire behind the memoir.

What is conflict?

Conflict is like a block  or disruption on the way to an end-goal. In story structure, conflict is imperative, because it keeps the reader uncertain that you’re going to achieve the end goal of the narrative of the memoir. So they keep reading!

Conflict is just a challenge on the way to the end of the story. But the way you write about those challenges can make or break your book.

WRITING TIP: dig deep. If it’s slightly painful to write about, it’s probably true and good.

No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.
No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.
Robert Frost

Two types of conflict
  • Conflict can be internal:
    Eg. Why can’t this particular thing satisfy me? How and why do i keep sabotaging my efforts for health or success or love or happiness?
  • Conflict can be external:
    Someone or something in the outer world blocks you from achieving something.

Conflict is absolutely imperative in memoir.

FINDING THE CONFLICT YOU NEED TO INCLUDE IN YOUR MEMOIR
  1. Write a list of all the conflicts, problems and obstacles you (as the main character) faced in the journey to get to the resolution of your story. Now, pick the top 3!
  2. Use your conflicts to move the story along – try to include some form of conflict or uncertainty in every single chapter. Stuck for scenes that illustrate these conflicts? You should have some ideas from your synopsis, but go into more detail now as you pour out every single challenge you faced in your journey.
  3. Why was something hard? How did it feel? Did your challenge come in the way of a person who physically challenged you, or was it internal or an actual physical object or freak accident that threw a block in your path
    (ie. You were hiking the Camino trail and broke your leg on the first day?).

The conflict – and how you resolved or rose to the challenge (or failed) is always the most interesting part of the story.

Where do i resolve the conflict in a memoir?

The whole reason we are compelled to read memoirs when the author is not a celebrity is because they’re written like a compelling page-turner and the hero – you, the author – is pulling us along on a ride to a potential promise or resolution. While you’ll show growth in your character and resolve some of the conflicts in your story, you won’t reach that peak change moment in a memoir until at least midway through the narrative. To learn more about using friction in the pace of your narrative, I teach you the specifics around story structure, conflict and human themes inside The Art of Memoir, my signature writing programme for professional memoirists who want to get published.

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