Definition
Internal conflict is the psychological struggle within a character, where competing desires, values, fears, or obligations pull them in different directions. Unlike external conflict, which pits the character against outside forces, internal conflict is fought entirely within the character's own mind and heart. It's the voice that whispers doubt before a big decision, the guilt that follows a morally gray choice, the war between who someone is and who they want to be. It's what transforms a sequence of plot events into an actual story about a person.
Why It Matters
Plot without internal conflict is just stuff happening. Internal conflict is what makes readers lean in, what makes them care whether the hero succeeds or fails. It's the difference between watching someone navigate an obstacle course and watching someone fight for their soul. Even the most action-packed story falls flat if the character isn't wrestling with something inside.
Types of Internal Conflict
Famous Examples
Hamlet's internal conflict between the duty to avenge his father and his moral paralysis about murder is one of the most famous in all of literature.
Walter White's internal conflict between his identity as a meek teacher and his growing embrace of power and violence drives the entire series.
Stevens' internal conflict between professional duty and suppressed love for Miss Kenton creates an achingly quiet devastation that lingers long after the last page.
Mark Scout's internal conflict is made literal through the severance procedure - he's split between someone trying to move past grief and someone who doesn't even know the grief exists.
Common Mistakes
Externalize internal conflict through action. A character who's afraid of commitment doesn't just think about it - they cancel dates, change the subject, pick fights.
Let the conflict deepen before it resolves. The character should try their old coping mechanisms first and watch them fail.
Internal conflict isn't about a character who can't decide what to order for lunch. The stakes need to be real, and both sides of the conflict must carry genuine weight.
Give your supporting characters internal conflicts too - even minor ones. It makes the whole cast feel alive.
Try It Yourself
Write a scene where your character stands at a literal crossroads - two paths, two choices. As they hesitate, write their internal monologue going back and forth. Each direction represents one side of their internal conflict. Make each argument genuinely persuasive. End the scene on the moment they take the first step, but don't tell us which direction.
Track Your Characters' Inner Battles
Novelium's character tracking helps you map internal conflicts across scenes, so every moment of doubt, growth, and decision stays consistent from first page to last.