Welcome - thanks for your kind comments. I enjoy writing these articles because I learn things myself. I've also used the external/internal conflicts in my books. I recently heard about the term heroine's journey, and thought to myself - what's the difference between the two journeys.

Yes, it does. It definitely helps create more tension between the characters.

Thanks, Gale. I'm glad it helped. It's always fun when the characters lead us in different directions and surprise us.

Thanks. It is the combination of external and internal conflicts which help make well-rounded characters and help keep the tension going in the story.

Yes - we definitely need both. If we don't also have the internal conflict, the characters often seem flat.

Justin - I agree that the terms seem outdated because they are not strictly gender based. But both apply to any gender. My characters, male and female, experience both. And as Sally stated in her comment, it could be rephrased as the external and internal conflicts.

Thanks, Ellen. I'm glad you liked it. Having both definitely helps keep tension in the story.