CONFLICT SCENARIOS IN THIS BOOK

The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles (Vol. 1) spans 110 conflict scenarios. Each one provides a list of possible consequences (minor to disastrous), inner struggles, and ways it can be used to trigger personal development and growth.

  • RELATIONSHIP FRICTION SCENARIOS
    A Divorce or Breakup
    A Child Wanting to Live with One’s Ex
    A Love Interest Taking up with Someone Else
    A Partner Being Unwilling to Commit
    A Romance Being Stymied
    A Romantic Competitor Entering the Scene
    An Estranged Relative Showing Up
    An Ex Interfering in One’s Life
    An Unwanted Romantic Advance
    Being Betrayed or Abandoned by a Trusted Ally or Friend
    Being Cheated On
    Being Forced to Marry
    Being Ignored or Blown Off
    Being Insulted
    Being Manipulated
    Being Rejected by a Potential Love Interest
    Being Taken for Granted
    Being Unable to Forgive Someone
    Disappointing Someone
    Discovering a Spouse’s Secret
    Domestic Abuse
    Family Secrets Being Revealed
    Having to Betray a Friend or Loved One
    Having to Break Someone’s Heart
    Losing One’s Temper
    One’s Infidelity Being Discovered
    Peer Pressure
    Seeing an Ex with Someone New
    Sexual Dysfunction

    FAILURES AND MISTAKES SCENARIOS
    A Lie Impacting Someone Else
    A Prank Going Wrong
    Being Unprepared
    Breaking or Destroying an Important Item
    Causing a Car Accident
    Causing a Workplace Hazard
    Confiding in the Wrong Person
    Doing Something Stupid While Impaired
    Dropping the Ball
    Failing at Something
    Getting Caught Doing Something Wrong

  • Getting Caught in a Lie
    Having a One-Night Stand with a Co-Worker
    Having Poor Judgment
    Losing a Bet
    Losing a Phone
    Making a Bad Investment
    Making a Crucial Mistake at Work
    Sending a Private Message to the Wrong Person
    Taking Advice from the Wrong Person
    Underestimating Danger
    Unknowingly Sharing Incorrect Information

    MORAL DILEMMAS AND TEMPTATIONS SCENARIOS
    Being Given an Opportunity to Cheat
    Being Offered an Easy Way Out
    Being Offered Dirty Money
    Being Pressured to Cover for a Friend
    Breaking the Law for a Good Reason
    Discovering an Outcome Has Been Fixed
    Facing a Difficult Decision with No Easy Solution
    Having Feelings for Someone One Shouldn’t
    Having to Decide to Help or Do Nothing
    Having to Steal to Obtain Something Vital
    Indulging When One Shouldn’t
    Leaving Someone to the Consequences of Their Actions
    Making a Discovery That Threatens the Bond of Friendship
    Needing to Sabotage Someone to Win
    Pulling the Plug on Someone
    Sacrificing Ethics or Morals for the Greater Good
    Someone Witnessing One’s Misbehavior
    Witnessing Abuse
    Witnessing Corruption
    Witnessing Discrimination

    DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITIES SCENARIOS
    A Child Getting Sick
    A Problem at a Child’s School

  • An Elderly Loved One Requiring Care
    Being Assigned an Undesirable Partner
    Being Assigned an Unpleasant Task
    Being the Bearer of Bad News
    Bureaucracy Tying One’s Hands
    Chafing Under Poor Leadership
    Childcare Falling Through
    Having to Break a Promise
    Having to Punish Someone
    Having to Work with an Enemy
    Losing A Job
    Losing A Source of Transportation
    Needing to Disobey an Order
    Receiving a Bad Performance Review
    Work-Life Balance Being Threatened

    INCREASED PRESSURE AND TICKING CLOCKS SCENARIOS
    A Deadline Being Moved Up
    A Delay That Makes One Late
    Being Blackmailed
    Being Given an Ultimatum
    Being Hunted
    Being Made to Wait
    Being Saddled with Unexpected Responsibility
    Being Thrust into the Spotlight
    Getting Lost
    Having to Beat the Clock
    Having to Prove One’s Innocence
    Incurring an Unexpected Expense
    Missing an Important Meeting or Deadline
    Realizing One is at a Disadvantage
    Unwanted Scrutiny

    NO-WIN SCENARIOS
    Being Caught in the Middle
    Being Set Up to Fail
    Being Unable to Save Everyone
    Conflicting Internal Needs or Desires
    Having to Hurt Someone to Save Them from a Worse Fate
    Having to Pick the Lesser of Two Evils
    Needing to Sacrifice One for the Good of the Many