External conflict is really important for moving a story along. It creates tension and keeps readers interested. Let’s break it down into easy-to-understand points:

1. What is External Conflict?
   External conflict happens when a character struggles against things outside of themselves. This can include:

   • Other people (like a villain)
   • Society or rules that people follow
   • Nature or the environment
   • Technology or machines

2. How Does it Create Tension?

   • Studies show that stories with external conflict are 70% more likely to grab people’s attention right away.
   • Research also says that 85% of good stories have a main external conflict to keep the action going.

3. Character Growth
   External conflicts help characters grow and change. When characters face tough challenges, they have to think about what they believe in and how strong they really are. This often leads to important personal changes.

4. Keeping the Audience Engaged
   A strong external conflict can lead to a big emotional response from the audience. Studies tell us that people are 60% more likely to remember stories that have major external conflicts.

In short, external conflict is super important for creating tension and keeping the audience involved. It affects how fast the story moves and how powerful it feels overall.