How can you use conflict to create a compelling podcast narrative?

1 What is conflict?

Conflict is the opposition or clash between two or more forces, characters, or ideas. It can be external, such as a physical fight, a natural disaster, or a social issue, or internal, such as a moral dilemma, a psychological struggle, or a personal goal. Conflict creates tension, challenges, and obstacles for your podcast characters or subjects, and makes them more relatable, complex, and interesting to your audience.

2 Why is conflict important?

Conflict is important because it drives your podcast narrative forward. It gives your podcast a clear structure, a purpose, and a direction. It also engages your listeners emotionally and intellectually, as they want to know how the conflict will be resolved, what the consequences will be, and what the lessons will be learned. Without conflict, your podcast narrative would be flat, boring, and predictable.

5 How to resolve conflict?

To resolve conflict in your podcast narrative, you need to create a climax, a turning point or a decisive moment that determines the outcome of the conflict and the fate of your podcast characters or subjects. You can use action, a physical or verbal confrontation that resolves the conflict in a dramatic way. You can also use revelation, a discovery or a revelation that resolves the conflict in an unexpected or enlightening way. Or you can use resolution, a wrap-up or a closure that resolves the conflict in a satisfying or meaningful way.

6 How to avoid common pitfalls?

To avoid common pitfalls when using conflict in your podcast narrative, you need to be aware of some potential mistakes and challenges. You should avoid creating too much or too little conflict, as this can confuse, overwhelm, or bore your listeners. You should also avoid creating unrealistic or irrelevant conflict, as this can undermine your credibility, consistency, or relevance. And you should avoid creating unresolved or unsatisfying conflict, as this can frustrate, disappoint, or alienate your listeners.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?