CONFLICT THESAURUS

NEPOTISM OR FAVORITISM



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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:
 Power struggles, relationship friction, moral dilemmas and temptation, losing an advantage, loss of control, ego-related conflict

EXAMPLES:
A parent favoring one child over the other
The coach's nephew getting the most court time 
The office suck-up being given an important or lucrative client
A teacher doting on her "chosen few," giving those students special duties and roles 
One child getting a larger inheritance than another 
A negligent co-worker escaping consequences because he's the boss' golf buddy
Being expected to overlook certain things for a preferential client
A parent being quick to believe her children over her stepchildren 
A star athlete never being reprimanded for showing up late (unlike the rest of the team)
One university department escaping cutbacks that other departments are subject to
A coveted political position being awarded to a relative with no experience
A contract bid being won by someone close to the client

MINOR COMPLICATIONS:
Having to bite back comments that will only start an argument
Speaking up about the issue and being labeled a troublemaker
Morale in the workplace slowly declining
Being sucked into university politics
Being unable to enjoy family functions due to drama
The character's workload increasing because a favored employee is incompetent or lazy
Dealing with a child's hurt feelings over a sense of unfairness
Competitiveness turning into a personal rivalry
The character trying to one-up a favored teammate to prove their personal worth
Friction between siblings who are treated differently 

POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS RESULTS:
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RESULTING EMOTIONS:
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POSSIBLE INTERNAL STRUGGLES:
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PEOPLE WHO COULD BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED:
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NEGATIVE TRAITS THAT COULD MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE:
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IMPACT ON BASIC NEEDS:
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WOUNDS THIS COULD LEAD TO:
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POSITIVE TRAITS TO HELP THE CHARACTER COPE:
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POSITIVE OUTCOMES:
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