Ah, James Frey... He'd know, right? When making up stories, it's much easier to create conflict than to stick with reality. His ethics may be questionable, but this is good writing advice.

Messy lives of characters are fun to write totally agree. Here's one, my protagonist is a practicing Catholic, and a clairvoyant. How do you reconcile that one? Deny who you are and be loved, or be who you are and prepared to be hated and resented? I just love messy!!