Determining the MICE of your story (Milieu, Inquiry, Character, Event) will help you set up and drive home the conflict that creates your story arc. MICE are the four elements that can be used to plan or evaluate your story, regardless of length. By understanding the four elements, you can determine what kind of conflict your story should include.

Milieu
Begins: When a character enters a place
Ends: When a character leaves the place

Conflicts: Anything that stops your character from getting to where they need to be. Think, "There must be some way out of here."

Inquiry
Begins: When a character asks a question
Ends: When the question has been answered

Conflicts: Anything that stops your character from getting to the answer for their question. Think, lies, dead ends, etc.

Character
Begins: A character has some interior angst or unhappiness with themselves
Ends: The character goes through some character shift and finds happiness

Conflicts: Anything that keeps the character thinking, "Woe is me." Think of the character going from "Gah! My life sucks!" to "Ah. I couldn't possibly be happier."

Event
Begins: Everything is "status quo" and then some external action upsets it
Ends: A new status quo is established

Conflicts: External threats keep the character from getting to the new status quo. Think about an asteroid headed for Earth. What are all the ways to keep the character from saving the day?

Instructions: Identify the MICE of your story as you have written it so far. What is the character trying to accomplish?

Escape from a place (Milieu)
Answer a question (Inquiry)
Find happiness (Character)
Change the world (Event)