Because I found the Kindling Words file.
In children’s books, sometimes the conflict is mnan vs. man, and sometimes it’s cat vs. cat.
Banned and challenged books tend to be man vs. society.
“Never leave a character without hope… Show a light at the end of the tunnel… that isn’t a train.” (I wish I remembered who said that!)
It helps if your main character has a secret.
For historicals, you need to suspend disbelief and walk through the world with the same conviction as in fantasy. And you must know the details of that world before you even start writing, because it affects how the characters think.
Also for historicals, visit small historical museums. Ask about your subject–often someone will point you to the one person in that town who knows everything about it.
Conflict can be benign. It’s simply a change, of any sort.
Conflict can begin with “a stranger came to town”–and new baby books are definitely “a stranger came to town” books.
For a picture book: “Cut it by half, leaving nothing out.”
Find the moment of change that lets the conflict and the story in.
A story note scrawled alongside the conference notes: “For years I raged against these mountains… The mountains are still standing. Me, also.”
Another story note: “Shoelaces are nothing but trouble. I know. Let me tell you a story.”