Why We Love Contests and Conflict

Benjamin Smith

April 2, 2023

As a general rule, humans love a good contest. Whether it’s a spelling bee (do any schools do those anymore?), an artistic contest, a fishing competition, or an MMA match, each of these involve contestants stepping into the figurative (or literal!) arena. They do so to pit their skills and experience against others, in order to see who is the best at what they do. No matter the result, the competitors will leave the arena knowing they did their best, and will have learned what their limits are and (hopefully) how they can improve to do better the next time.

What about the spectators, though? What do they get out of watching or reading about such competitions? I think I mentioned in a previous post that I’m currently listening Shami Stovall’s Frith Chronicles series of YA fantasy books. I recently finished book three, Coliseum Arcanist, and one of the big subplots in that book is a magic competition that the main characters find themselves involved in. Despite the title alluding otherwise, it really is a subplot, although it’s one that helps drive the main plot forward.

Anyway, getting to watch characters I’ve grown to love competing against other arcanists (magicians in that world) equally or more impressively skilled than them was intense and exhilarating. I got to live all of that vicariously, and I felt the highs and lows that the characters went through as if I were right there next to them. We love to watch a hero triumph over the other guy, even if that other guy is a good character in a friendly competition and not the villain who needs to be defeated by the story’s end.

From a writer’s perspective, this is an important aspect of the human condition to internalize. Without conflict in your story, the average reader won’t find it engaging. And without conflict that’s contextually relevant to the plot and to the characters involved in it, the readers engaged enough to give the story a chance will leave unsatisfied. Don’t put fighting and characters butting heads into a story merely for the sake of it. Make it exciting, make it engaging, but most of all: make it relevant, or readers will check out.

And speaking of competition…

The Feather and the Lamp is in a Book Cover Contest!

Last week I wrote a post about judging a book by its cover, and this week we’ve got one of our own in a contest! We’re very proud of The Feather and the Lamp both for its writing and for the art on the front cover. If you think it’s worth it, head over to AllAuthor.com and vote! It only takes a moment to create an account, it’s free, and you’ll be helping out author L.N. Hunter in a huge way. Thank you in advance!

A magic lamp should have been a gateway to Imperceptibility’s every desire…

So how did she end up in the underworld covered in slobber from a three-headed dog?

And then there’s capture by fanatical priest-mercenaries, sacrifice to a quantum dragon, and getting trapped in a chicken coop.

Will she ever find her way back home?

More important still, what’s a goose feather got to do with any of this?

– Goodreads 5-star review — A definite different story that will delight everyone. Words that will draw you in with the characters leading you through whatever happens.

The Feather and the Lamp is available on Amazon!

Anthology Open Calls Continue!

While not exactly contests, there are only so many slots to fill in an anthology. And when many more are competing than there are slots… Yeah, it’s a contest, and we’ve got a fair number of them for you to enter! From post-apocalyptic to various flavors of fantasy to our signature horror fantasy trailer park fun series, there’s something for pretty much everyone here. Take a look below, and see what works for you!