: Re: How to write a story without conflict, like "My Neighbour Totoro"? We are used to stories being about conflict. There can be an antagonist, or a hostile environment, or even an internal problem

There is definitely conflict, in the sense of narrative conflict, in My Neighbor Totoro. Sickness (with possible death) counts, whether it's resolved through any action of any characters or not. Finding Totoro and then not being able to find Totoro, or seeing the growth of a magical grove of trees, and then having it not be there later counts. Not knowing Totoro and getting to know Totoro also counts. It's an unknown that gradually reveals itself.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the word conflict for a narrative because of this very confusion. I prefer to think of it as tension, or even better dissonance, as in music theory. Something is unsettling (a V7 chord, a person is sick, a character or place can't be found), and then that unsettling thing is either resolved or isn't. The unsettling thing, whether you call it dissonance, tension, or conflict, is what brings interest. It doesn't have to be a fight between two or more characters or ideas, or a massive obstacle that is overcome. It can be two girls getting to know a magical creature and experiencing a new place. There are plenty of moments of tension in My Neighbor Totoro, though. Just look at how the expression on the girls faces change, moment to moment, and you'll see it.

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: How to write a story without conflict, like "My Neighbour Totoro"? We are used to stories being about conflict. There can be an antagonist, or a hostile environment, or even an internal problem

@Sent2472441

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: Writing a Satisfying Ending It strikes me that the last chapter (or so) of any story needs to make the reader feel that reading the book has been a worthwhile experience. An exceptional ending

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: Well, there's always Savi Sharma, whose inspirational romance Everyone Has A Story made her India's youngest self-published successful female author. And all it took was a little (electronic)

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: Static Scenes that still Move the Story Forward I've just read a tutorial about scenic techniques in novel-writing that recommends that a story should have a rhythm of static scenes and dramatic

: Re: How to write a story without conflict, like "My Neighbour Totoro"? We are used to stories being about conflict. There can be an antagonist, or a hostile environment, or even an internal problem

More posts by @Sent2472441

: How to write a story without conflict, like "My Neighbour Totoro"? We are used to stories being about conflict. There can be an antagonist, or a hostile environment, or even an internal problem

: Writing a Satisfying Ending It strikes me that the last chapter (or so) of any story needs to make the reader feel that reading the book has been a worthwhile experience. An exceptional ending

: Well, there's always Savi Sharma, whose inspirational romance Everyone Has A Story made her India's youngest self-published successful female author. And all it took was a little (electronic)

: Static Scenes that still Move the Story Forward I've just read a tutorial about scenic techniques in novel-writing that recommends that a story should have a rhythm of static scenes and dramatic

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