Conflict, Stakes, and Urgency
Conflict is incompatible pressure; stakes are the consequence; urgency prevents indefinite delay.
High agreementA durable convention or broadly shared professional principle.
The principle
Conflict need not mean an argument. It can be a contest for control, an impossible choice, an obstacle, a hostile environment, or a desire the character cannot satisfy. Stakes answer why the outcome matters to this person. Urgency gives the conflict a clock, a closing window, or a cost that grows while no one acts.
Put it to work
- Write each central character’s desired outcome in active terms.
- State the scene’s if/then: if the character succeeds or fails, what changes next?
- Escalate by narrowing options, increasing cost, or forcing a revealing choice.
Common mistakes
- Replacing personal stakes with bigger explosions.
- Letting everyone in a scene want the same immediate result.
- Using arbitrary deadlines that do not alter behavior.
Sources & further reading
Pitcheroo’s guidance is original synthesis. These are the main sources used for this guide.