Strife

At left, this afternoon's partial snow. Six more inches expected tonight. Makes the picnic a little tough. Last season for the outdoor set so no push to tarp it this year. A good clean and it will do good service until the sales next fall.

I'm working up an outline right now and had a protagonist, a partner, an antagonist, a couple of minor characters, and a carnival of conflicts.

Then, the idea of strife between the partners hit me. There is nothing like difficulty with someone with whom you are close for driving up the tension and tumult.

External conflicts? Sure. Guns, knives, nuclear detonation, being fed to sharks? Great. Fighting with your business partner over a decision? Wham. Ball bat to the head. Just brutal tension.

So, strife among allies is a technique to remember in the little mental checklist of "how does it get worse?"  I've ignored it for years when not featuring marital discord as a primary conflict. Huge mistake on my part. Huge.

I'm excited to cause a little tumult now. Excited! Strife: a secret weapon. Shouldn't be.

I hope you are writing. I hope you are warm.