No matter the Genre you write it's important to push the story forward. We keep hearing this same theme regarding character goals, motivations, and Conflict. Deb Dixon's book on this is a Must. I think I have mentioned that a lot. Conflict should be at the center of every story.
No matter how many obstacles are characters face it's why we cheer and fight with them. Seriously if you don't have enough conflict there is no story. So what are the conflicts we can have our hero/heroine face? Man vs. Man Man vs. Nature Man vs. Self I remember clearly learning about these three conflicts when I read Call of the Wild by Jack London when I was about twelve. So this has been around for a long time. Man vs. Man is your hero must fight against a person or people in an effort to meet his goals. Now, this fight doesn't have to be a physical fight. It can be any kind of conflict that occurs to keep him from his goals. Man vs. Nature I'd your hero in some kind of survival situation against the elements. Man vs. Self is where the hero must fight against his own convictions to reach his goals. These three conflicts above are the main ones mentioned in most studies of conflict but many more can exist given the genre written. Man vs. Gods/spirits/supernatural/alien Man vs. Some new or different society or nation Man vs. Unknown Man vs. Technology And this list is just about things that can occur to create conflict for your hero. I heard a well-published author once say to put your hero through hell from the beginning until the end of the story. Multiple conflicts can add to a story if done well. Progressive complications, something more added around every corner to upset the hero's journey to his goals makes for better reading. So up the stakes which builds tension. And each bit of tension should be worse and worse for the hero. When tension and conflicts increase it is easier to see how a character is growing. They make it through one thing to only reach another. Raising the stakes can keep readers turning the page. Remember though each conflict should be related to blocking the hero's goals in some way. The best way to add conflict through a story is to escalate it bit by bit until it seems all but overwhelming for the hero to ever overcome it. Each conflict should threaten the hero's goals more and more. And each conflict should show more and more threats to your hero overall. All the conflicts should be worth it. In other words, adding ten minor discomforts to a hero's goals doesn't make for a good story but adding five major conflicts that have layered effects on the hero's journey will keep the reader turning pages. Up the antenna every scene you can. Complications if major can take the hero to a turning point that changes character. Because this is where the hero realized he isn't going to be able to overcome the conflict and so the story turns. These are where you can toss is Twist of plot too but this is where your hero might think all is lost. Write it out which will help you see what is happening to your character. Add this to your notebook. Who is your character? What does he want? Why does he want it? Now list all the conflicts in order or easy to hard. They might be best written in that order leading from smallest to largest. That can head up the crescendo of your story and heighten reader interest. Use some time in your planning book to see if conflict is placed all through your story...jot down where more should be added or how you can ramp up what you do have. If you are pretty far in your story and think conflict is lacking then all is not lost. As you edit your first draft you can begin writing in more conflict. Making it tougher on your character. Off to it! Time to Write.