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The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles (Volume 1) (Writers Helping Writers Series) Paperback – October 4, 2021

by Becca Puglisi (Author), Angela Ackerman (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,219 ratings
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Every story starts with a character who is motivated by a need and has a goal that can resolve it. Whether their objective is to find a life partner, bring a killer to justice, overthrow a cruel regime, or something else, conflict transforms a story premise into something fresh. Physical obstacles, adversaries, moral dilemmas, deep-seated doubts and personal struggles…these not only block a character’s external progress, they become a gateway for internal growth. The right conflict will build tension and high stakes, challenge characters as they traverse their arcs, and most importantly, keep readers emotionally invested from beginning to end.

Inside Volume 1 of The Conflict Thesaurus, you’ll find:

  • A myriad of conflict options in the form of relationship friction, failures and mistakes, moral dilemmas and temptations, pressure and ticking clocks, and no-win scenarios
  • An analysis of each scenario that maps out possible complications and catastrophes, internal struggles, and the stressful impacts on a character’s basic human needs
  • Guidance on using conflict to influence your protagonist's character arc through opportunities for failure and success
  • Master class instruction on internal conflict: what it is, why it's important, and how to incorporate it at the scene and story levels
  • Information about the role conflict plays in generating high stakes that are personally significant to the character, upping the tension for readers
  • A breakdown of the various adversaries your character might encounter along the way

Don't give your character a break. Keep the hits coming with a variety of obstacles that will force them to work harder to get what they want. With over 100 entries arranged in a user-friendly format, The Conflict Thesaurus is the guide you need to write intense and satisfying fiction readers won’t forget.

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  1. Book 8 of 10
    Writers Helping Writers Series
  2. Print length
    302 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    October 4, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    7 x 0.69 x 10 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0999296396
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0999296394
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ JADD Publishing (October 4, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 302 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0999296396
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0999296394
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.17 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 0.69 x 10 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,219 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Angela Ackerman

    Angela Ackerman

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    ANGELA ACKERMAN is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of 11 bestselling books for writers, including The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression. Her books are available in 10 languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Her home country is Canada.

    Angela is also the co-founder of the popular site Writers Helping Writers®, as well as One Stop for Writers®, a portal to powerful tools and resources that help you think like a writing expert so you become a stronger storyteller. A strong believer in writers helping and supporting other writers, she tries to pay-it-forward however she is able to.

    http://writershelpingwriters.net

    http://onestopforwriters.com

    See more on the author's page
  2. Becca Puglisi

    Becca Puglisi

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and author of bestselling books for writers. Her books are available in multiple languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling. Her books are represented by foreign rights agent Marleen Seegers of 2 Seas Agency.

    During her free time (ha), Becca enjoys playing video games, watching movies with her family, baking, and adding to her stash of emergency supplies. She has always enjoyed contemplating the What if? scenario, which serves her well during hurricane season in south Florida.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
1,219 global ratings
Should have paid attention to the title
1 out of 5 stars
Should have paid attention to the title
I never review books, but after $17 I had to. The concept of this book could have been great. Instead it's really just a headache-inducing, dizzying hodge-podge of jumbled thoughts. It's in list-form, not prose, which is the problem. Unless the price comes way down, pass on this one.
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Top reviews from the United States

Alma Mäke
5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't know I needed it!!
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2023
Verified Purchase
As someone who has been writing fiction my whole life, I felt like I had the whole "how a story works" thing in the bag. Make some characters, slap them somewhere, keep it engaging, yadda yadda. "I already have a plot," I said. "I already have ideas."
I initially bought this book for collection purposes. But flipping through turned into mindful reading, and that reading perfectly connected all the ideas in my brain to form more structure, more meaning to the things that happen in the story. To fully conceptualize and understand a conflict's ins and outs, its done a lot more than get me out of writers block! I absolutely recommend to any writer, beginner or not, any book from this series!
10 people found this helpful
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Vincent Jobson
5.0 out of 5 stars Incomplete without Vol 2
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2022
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I can only assume that volume two of this book is still in production because I have yet to find it. What a great reference! It occupies a place above my desk where I keep my most valuable references.

As a burgeoning writer, I often don't think of the minor details when working through conflict. This outstanding guide gives me something to sink my teeth into. While I am sure it is incomplete, it certainly is a worthwhile guide.

The start of this book is full of great reading about what makes for great conflict and how to make the most of it. I will be looking into other titles such as this one. This is an amazing reference that no up and coming writer should be without.
9 people found this helpful
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Vicky
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent writers tool
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2023
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I love this entire series, this book is awesome!
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MAlvarado
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reference!
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2022
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This series of books are great! They’re perfect references for character and dialogue development.

I was having a difficult time developing a gray character—not quite evil, but truly flawed—and between this book and some of the others, I finally broke through. Can’t wait for y’all to meet this guy.

This book and it’s fellows are the kid you may not crack every day, but you’ll want to keep them close at hand when you’re in the midst of creating your characters and world.
8 people found this helpful
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Julie R. McGue
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't wait to add this title to my writer toolkit!
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2021
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I have been anxiously awaiting the publication of The Conflict Thesaurus! It does not disappoint. Every writer, whether they craft fiction or memoir, needs this book by their computer. It is chock full of useful tools to consider in creating characters and narrative with internal and external conflict. Because I write memoir, my personal favorites are the chapters on "Being Unable to Forgive Someone" and "Having to Betray a Friend or Loved One." This guide rounded out my collection of The Emotional Wound Thesuarus and The Emotion Thesaurus. I can't wait for Ackerman & Puglisi to put out Volume 2 of the Conflict Thesaurus.
19 people found this helpful
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Pam Stephenson
4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and detailed
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2022
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A great book, like all in the series. I took off 1 star only because this is volume 1, and at the back it tells what will eventually be in volume 2, and I feel some of those are so basic (like being orphaned or having a family member die) that I think they should have been in the first volume.
5 people found this helpful
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Paul Irvine
5.0 out of 5 stars The gem is the 35 page Conflict exposition
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2022
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As expected, the many ideas and expansions of all kinds of conflicts is excellent, especially for us, um, more mature folks that need prompts ;-). Well done as with all their thesaurus'. The hidden gem in this book, however, is the first 35 pages the proves a well structured, focused, succinct exposition on use and place and breath of CONFLICT in stories. Oh my Gosh!! What a treasure for that aspect - and a very important one - of writing well. Kudo's for them adding that introduction.
14 people found this helpful
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Roberta McFarland
5.0 out of 5 stars Helps with conflict
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2022
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This thesaurus is more explanatory than many of the other books in the series. while I don't care for the idea, "In storytelling, a plethora of conflict is encouraged." as the authors say on page 15, it is a truth. each section goes into how a particular situation can be caused and affect a person or plot. It is handy to have these thesauruses on kindle, I prefer referring to the printed book.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Kerry Downey
5.0 out of 5 stars An important tool in the writer’s toolbox
Reviewed in Canada on March 11, 2023
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I regret the fact that I tried and failed to purchase this volume and the second. I did succeed on the third attempt though. These books are important to me in aiding my writing.
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Adel Gastel
5.0 out of 5 stars Writing is not as easy as it looks
Reviewed in France on May 12, 2022
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This book shows how long is the trip from the idea to the last point of the story. It's a great collection. Never seen before. It makes the reader humble. Writing is a full time job, not a game.
One person found this helpful
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Luise
5.0 out of 5 stars Für alle, die ernsthaft schreiben wollen
Reviewed in Germany on December 26, 2021
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Für angehende Autoren, die ihren Charakteren Tiefe und echte menschliche Gefühle verleihen wollen, ein absolutes Muss! Besorgt euch die gesamte Reihe, es lohnt sich definitiv!
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Sacha Black
5.0 out of 5 stars One for every writer's bookshelf.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 13, 2021
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Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi should be on every writer's bookshelf. Conflict is at the core of story and this book will teach you why as well as how to craft exquisite conflict that both creates killer stakes for your characters and hooks your readers for life.

Ackerman-Puglisi's thesaurus is so much more than just a "thesaurus". It's a tutor, a guide, and a writing mentor all crammed into one thesaurus. Not only that, but packed into the front end of their latest thesaurus is an array of writing lessons you NEED if you want to craft the best conflict for your story. They dive into internal conflict, why you need it, what it should look like and how to craft it on paper at the story, scene, and character level. And that's aside from the dozens and dozens of conflict entries.

Ackerman-Puglisi have done it again. This really is a must read for any writer hoping to improve their characters and stories.
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Sacha Black
5.0 out of 5 stars One for every writer's bookshelf.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 13, 2021
Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi should be on every writer's bookshelf. Conflict is at the core of story and this book will teach you why as well as how to craft exquisite conflict that both creates killer stakes for your characters and hooks your readers for life.

Ackerman-Puglisi's thesaurus is so much more than just a "thesaurus". It's a tutor, a guide, and a writing mentor all crammed into one thesaurus. Not only that, but packed into the front end of their latest thesaurus is an array of writing lessons you NEED if you want to craft the best conflict for your story. They dive into internal conflict, why you need it, what it should look like and how to craft it on paper at the story, scene, and character level. And that's aside from the dozens and dozens of conflict entries.

Ackerman-Puglisi have done it again. This really is a must read for any writer hoping to improve their characters and stories.
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12 people found this helpful
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ExSport
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Songwriters too!!!
Reviewed in Canada on February 26, 2022
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I have several of these on Kindle and a couple on paperback. It's much easer to use in paperback. A great tool for removing blocks, inspiring ideas, stoking the creative juices. Exactly like looking for a rhyme or synonym except so much more comes out of them.
For songwriters I'd recomend the Conflict, Negative Trait, and the Emotional one. The Urban or City settings can be Ok for songwriting too, especially if you like setting a scene of a story, but I prefer the ones that deal with feelings, because you have to get to the point when writing lyrics.
4 people found this helpful
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