Conflicted, But Not Indecisive

Your protagonist needs internal conflict—that’s what gives your story psychological and emotional depth. But be careful: internal conflict should never turn your protagonist into a ditherer. A character who endlessly hesitates or wavers, quickly becomes frustrating to watch or read.

It’s okay for a minor character to dither if it creates a strong obstacle for your protagonist. But your protagonist must be active, taking strong actions with commitment—even if those actions contradict each other.

Tough decisions, Strong action

Your protagonist should face tough decisions, but don’t let them get stuck in indecision. Watching a character endlessly weigh their options or wallow in uncertainty doesn’t create drama—it stalls your story. Dithering is not action; it’s inaction.

Yes, once your script gets into production, you can count on a good actor adding power to your words by letting us see them silently evaluating the options and thinking through the alternatives and their consequences. They can make onscreen silence both compelling and understandable.

But even when you have excellent actors, save those long transitions for the big moments of choice, because a good actor can also silently evaluate the options and measure the likely consequences while the other person is talking. Instead of looking at the character talking, we watch the listener reacting and choosing. And then taking action, with commitment.

This keeps the narrative flowing – as long as your words give the character actions that are strong, decisive and contradictory.

Active Contradiction, not inactive dithering

Your protagonist should be active and committed, but contradictory.

This is what you want:

Make choices and act decisively

• When faced with a tough decision, have your character make a decisive choice and act on it with conviction.

Then let the consequences hit them

• Have the character well underway in one direction before they realise the terrible mistake they are making, skid to a halt, and change direction with even more urgency.

Commitment creates consequences

• It’s the character’s commitment to their original choice of action that creates powerful consequences. This gives urgency to their subsequent need to change direction and rescue the situation, because it makes the consequences harder to repair. Commitment creates consequences, which builds momentum and stakes.

Create an escalating chain of clear, definite actions

• Instead of a muddled morass of uncertainty, create a chain of definite actions that contradict each other, joined together by moments of awful realisation.

what if…?

Imagine a protagonist who, in a moment of drunken honesty, destroys their best friend’s marriage. Instead of wallowing in self-pity or indecision, have them scramble to repair the damage—making more mistakes along the way, and trying even harder to fix things. This is compelling and engaging, with real stakes for the characters and the audience.

An indecisive pity party, on the other hand, won’t move your story forward or keep the audience engaged.

Key Takeaway

• Internal conflict should fuel bold, sometimes contradictory actions—not endless hesitation.
• Let your protagonist move, make mistakes, and change course.
• That’s what keeps a story alive and your audience invested.