Authors pen is the most powerful sword
Conflict is so important because that is what makes a story. It makes a reader want to read whatever it is. It shows how characters develop and grow.
The answer is : File it for your records
It is false that the connotations of a word have little effect on its literal meaning. Connotation are your personal feelings that a certain word evokes when you think about it/read it/write it.
For example, the word home means a house, but its connotation is usually positive - you connect it with love, warmth, etc.