I used to think the best stories were those with the biggest plot twists.

…or the best visual effects.

…or the prettiest people.

…or the fastest pace.

But I’m changing my mind on what makes the best stories the BEST stories.

Because the best stories are no longer behind big names (cough Snow White cough) or big budgets (cough Madame Web cough). But are the ones that make you stop…

…stop scrolling

…stop talking

And the key to that kind of story is in 1 word:

conflict

But not just any conflict. Every good story lives at the intersection of three:

• An external conflict (what’s happening)

• An internal conflict (what’s hurting)

• A philosophical conflict (what’s wrong with the world)

Let’s walk through each one.

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VERY GOOD STORY

1. External Conflict: The Visible Battle

The villain’s job is to cause problems.

To stand between your hero and what they want most.

But it’s not enough for the villain to want bad things. Something—or someone—has to do something.

This is the external conflict: the bomb ticking, the bus speeding, the Death Star looming.

Think of it like a football placed between your hero and the villain. Both are charging it, fighting to gain control. The audience leans in to see who gets there first.

• In Speed, the bus can’t go under 50mph or 💥

• In Les Misérables, Jean Valjean is hunted across decades.

• In The Lion King, Scar has stolen the throne and Pride Rock is crumbling.

• In Harry Potter, Voldemort is back and he wants everything.

This external tension is what gets someone into the theater. It’s the “what if” that fuels the trailer.

And in storytelling, we’ve got to get good at raising the stakes without handing out easy answers.

If the problem is solvable in three steps or a single phone call… it’s not a story. It’s a YouTube tutorial.

So we push the hero further. And when we do…

2. Internal Conflict: The Private War

The external conflict forces something to the surface.

Fear. Shame. Insecurity. Regret.

This is where the real story lives.

If you write a movie about a guy who has to disarm a bomb… that’s an action scene.

But if he failed as a soldier and lives with the guilt of letting others die because of his failure…

…that’s a movie.

• Moneyball isn’t just about stats. It’s about Billy Beane trying to redeem himself.

• Luke Skywalker doesn’t just face the Empire. He doubts he’s worth anything more than a moisture farm.

• In Frozen, Elsa isn’t running from Arendelle. She’s running from her insecurities.

Internal conflicts are what make a story about war feel relatable to someone who’s never held a weapon.

It’s why Inside Out wrecked us and epic worlds like Hogwarts and Westeros feel so close to home.

Because you’ve asked the same question your hero is asking: Do I have what it takes?

That question haunts us all. And when a story names, we feel it.

3. Philosophical Conflict: The Deeper Why

Now, let’s zoom out.

The best stories don’t just make us feel something, they make us believe something.

They whisper a reflection of what’s right and wrong with the world.

These are the philosophical conflicts, and they’re always framed in terms of oughts and shoulds.

• In The King’s Speech, it’s not just about a king with a stutter. It’s about whether a flawed man can lead a nation against evil.

• In Bridget Jones’s Diary, the tension isn’t just “Will she find love?” It’s “Shouldn’t everyone be loved for who they are?”

• In Black Panther, it’s “What should powerful nations do with their resources?”

The philosophical layer is where good versus evil comes into play. Where justice and truth walk on stage. Where your reader begins to ask not just what happens next, but what does this mean?

And that’s the power of these three layers.

External. Internal. Philosophical.

Every story that moves you is built on them.

And every story that sticks—the ones we quote, return to, pass on—gets all three working together.

And no matter the format of your storytelling, you need to master all three.

• Writing the next bestselling novel

• Writing high-converting emails

• Telling bedtime stories

• Talking to your team

• Preaching a sermon

• Pitching a product

• Building a brand

Don’t even just name the emotion —> move through the 3 levels of conflict

Let the tension build.

Because the more tension you name…

…the more transformation your story can deliver.

MY BEST FINDS

Here are Payton’s Picks for the week. If you find something worth sharing with the rest of the Lab, reply to this email!

🧙‍♂️ Story

• Great storytellers think like photographers. (LinkedIn)

📧 Email

• A wild prediction I’m seeing circulate is that every email player will be using multiple ESPs in the next 12 months. (LinkedIn)

• Morning Brew is expanding to sales. (LinkedIn)

✝️ Faith

• I am a writer for Malachi Daily, but I use it (not so secretly) for myself. We use science to help you write Scripture on the tablet of your ❤️ via email. Always free. (Subscribe here)

👀 ICYMI

• Using my proven story formula, I built an AI Prompt that will give you a story outline based on five basic questions.

🔦 Spotlight

• I am rereading Orbiting the Giant Hairball by Hallmark Cards Master Gordon MacKenzie. It’s a daring, dreaming, doing kind of book that always helps me think outside the lines.

Before you go, here are 3 ways I can help:

1. Very Good Email Playbook: If you’re tired of writing “meh” emails that get ignored, I’ll show you how to write ones people actually want to read. It’s free, and it’s packed with everything I’ve learned the hard way.

2. VeryGoodGhost Agency: I handle every aspect of content creation, from research and writing to editing and optimization, so you get scary good results.

3. Reply to Book a Free Call: Want to chat about your story, email strategy, or how to do this whole thing without losing your soul? Reply to this email, tell me what you’re working on, and I’ll send over a calendar link.

Keep writing what matters,

— Payton