Making it real: Are the stakes high enough?

Something I’ve noticed in my beginning writing students is that often they’ll have a great story idea, a command of character motivation(s), and even a solid grasp on writing dialogue.

Where they fall short is in the stakes. Simply put, many writers fail to recognize that knowing a character’s outer motivation isn’t enough (s/he wants to get a date with that special someone, they want to land the perfect job, win the race, or whatever other outer tangible motivation you can think of).

In order to write a high-quality novel, short story, or screenplay, a writer also needs to understand (and be capable of clearly articulating) why this outer motivation matters. In other words, what will your main character lose if s/he doesn’t get whatever they’re after?

I’ll say it as gently as I can, if your character’s life goes back to basically the same thing win OR lose, well, your stakes aren’t high enough.

I know. You’re ticked I’m adding something else to your writing/ editing checklist. But trust me, you’ll be glad in the end.

Think about it, when Rocky Balboa is ready to fight Apollo Creed, he is a changed man. Don’t get me wrong, the fight itself does matter (sort of), but Rocky’s real victory is in being mentally and physically up to the challenge. He’s done all he can do and guess what? He’s no longer a bum- that means life will never be the same.

Now, consider this information in regard to your own character. How will s/he be different if they get what they want? How will s/he be different if they don’t? If you can’t answer, or if the answer is weak, that means your stakes aren’t high enough.

So, your next line of defense is to ask, how can you up the ante? Some basic ideas are putting your character in physical or emotional danger (will there be a death? A psychological impact?), or personal danger (losing family connections, a sense of well-being, etc.)- these are just some of your options. Think about what is most important to your protagonist and put that in jeopardy as it connects to his/ her motivation.

Seriously. Filter your favorite book or movie through this conversation and you’ll see it works.

Try it out. Ask yourself what is at stake in your WIP? How can you up the ante?