Conflict has so much influence

Conflict affects our individual lives and collective societies. My second category of blog posts is Writing about how conflicts are depicted in fiction, nonfiction, popular culture, and current events.

Conflict is the heart of any story in any media and in life.

Stories are how we demonstrate our conflict competence and conflict incompetence. So, I use popular culture in my examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly of conflict. Fiction is a safe place to figure out what we do or don’t want in our own lives and relationships.

On the other hand, fiction about competent conflict management, I am told often, won’t sell. Conflict sells. Incompetence sells. Inadequate interpersonal relationships sells. Managing conflict with skill – big yawn.

What to do with my protagonist who is a Conflict Manager and very good at her job? I don’t get writer’s block; I have editing block. Now, after editing my completed novel for over 16 years, I think I’ve solved the issue and have an answer for the critics who said managing conflict can’t be interesting.

Conflict Competence in Life

In the blog category of Writing about depiction of Conflicts In Fiction, Nonfiction, Popular Culture, And Current Events  are my posts about life, using examples from others’ imagination and my own.

Being conflict competent allowed me to deal with the wretchedness of quadruple (yes, four) mastectomies after I was diagnosed with a rare, potentially deadly form of breast cancer. Once treatment ended, in this category I post about conflict competence helping me find the joys of living breastlessly.

Now, if I ever get over my “editor’s block” my finished novel might get published. Stay tuned.

• TV guide to conflict competence (1/30/2018)
• Three hopeful truths for 2018 (1/21/2018)
• Does conflict competence make a good story? (8/14/2017)
• FICTIONALIZING CONFLICT (7/26/2017)
• Will practice make up for lack of talent? (6/27/2017)
• The Power of Pessimism (11/7/2016)
• How did national elections descend into a reality TV show? (10/8/2015)
• 3 questions better than ‘why me’ (7/3/2015)
• Get over it or get past it (or both)? (2/18/2015)
• Escaped from Death again, now exploring Life’s purpose (3/30/2014)
• Bogart’s character Rick in Casablanca: is he an optimist or pessimist? (1/14/2014)
• The Mind Of A Mediator: my novel in progress (12/3/2013)
• Changing piece of mind to peace of mind (11/9/2013)
• My medical choice is different than Angelina Jolie’s (7/22/2013)
• Restitution for chemotherapy’s criminal tendencies (7/7/2013)
• 4 days after the Calgary flood – #YYCflood, #abflood (6/26/2013)
• An Improbable Fairy Tale Of Alien Romance (5/3/2013)
• Mentors light my path like lanterns (4/26/2013)
• Two and counting (3/13/2013)
• Political statement one beauty product at a time (3/7/2013)
• Ali and Nino; a better path to restore honour without killing (3/1/2013)
• Worlds in our words (12/24/2012)
• Passing the Regret Test (12/20/2012)
• Breastless Love, The Man Who Stayed with the ‘Sick’ Woman (12/15/2012)
• Stand up to what bullies you (12/5/2012)
• My body reminds me of Poland (11/29/2012)
• Cancer’s a game changer but I’ve still got game (11/27/2012)
• Laughter – best medicine or defense mechanism? (11/25/2012)
• Remission’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose (11/24/2012)
• The advantages of chemo brain fog (11/19/2012)
• Top 10 list of having breast cancer (11/16/2012)
• Good news, honey, I have breast cancer – we can get a dog (11/15/2012)
• A Bride in palliative care is a model of hope (11/11/2012)
• Brain Fog, Chemo Fog, Chemo Brain – no fun by any name (11/11/2012)
• BOGO, would you like a double with that mastectomy? (11/9/2012)
• Flat is Beautiful (11/8/2012)
• Yes, I can handle the truth. I’m a conflict manager (11/6/2012)
• Breaking the news I had Triple Negative Breast Cancer (11/5/2012)
• Bests of breastlessness (11/4/2012)
• Embracing breastlessness (11/3/2012)
• Relearning to be happy (11/2/2012)
• Transforming Conflict Attitudes (12/31/2008)