Is this getting easier, or harder?

I'm now at 12080 words - 24%. I'm not sure if this is getting harder or easier now - maybe a little of both. I am having an easier time understanding my character and knowing how he reacts to things. But I am having a hard time figuring out what and where the major plot elements are going to be. I'm almost a quarter in, and I don't have a major conflict in the story yet. But I do know what it is. I think. Maybe.

I need to move things along a bit. Still, this is kind of fun.