How to Build Emotional Conflict by Utilizing Your Character's Lie

Photo by William Randles on Unsplash

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 fellow competitors and outsmart the gamemakers’ 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’ inner 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 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 are 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. 

Can you see just how powerful internal conflict can be, no matter the type of story you’re writing?

The push-and-pull your characters 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.