CONFLICT THESAURUS

BEING PASSED OVER FOR A PROMOTION



Never struggle with Show-and-Tell again. Activate your free trial or subscribe to view the Conflict Thesaurus in its entirety, or visit the Table of Contents to explore unlocked entries.

CHOOSE MY PLAN

HELPFUL TIP:

Conflict is your story’s secret sauce, supplying tension, friction, and complications to a character’s journey. It comes in a million different forms, so identify the obstacles and problems that will hit your character the hardest by using the Character Builder to uncover their primary insecurities, fears , and desires. Don’t forget to include everyday conflict scenarios that will frustrate them and keep the pressure high.
CATEGORY:
Duty and responsibility, loss of control, failures and mistakes, power struggles, losing an advantage, ego-related conflict

NOTES:
Promotions and professional advancements are important because they validate the character's hard work, abilities, and potential. Sometimes, they also act as stepping stones to achieving a life-long dream. When the character feels they've been denied an important opportunity, it's like a punch in the gut, triggering anger, self-doubt, and cynicism for the future—especially when the promotion is given to someone who is less deserving or capable.

MINOR COMPLICATIONS:
Embarrassment
The character having to tell people they didn't get the job
Having to act at work like the character is fine with it
Awkwardness around the person who received the promotion
Being blamed by others for getting passed over (because of something the character said, should have done, etc.)
Having to wait for another opportunity
Needing to take a mental health day to deal with the disappointment but being unable to do so

POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS RESULTS:
...

RESULTING EMOTIONS:
...

POSSIBLE INTERNAL STRUGGLES:
...

PEOPLE WHO COULD BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED:
...

NEGATIVE TRAITS THAT COULD MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE:
...

IMPACT ON BASIC NEEDS:
...

WOUNDS THIS COULD LEAD TO:
...

POSITIVE TRAITS TO HELP THE CHARACTER COPE:
...

POSITIVE OUTCOMES:
...