It's Time to Raise the Stakes (and here's how)

We've all experienced one of those stories. You know, the ones where the fate of the world hinges on the protagonist's ability to defeat the bad guy or crack the code or what-have-you. The ones that are kinda... boring.

(Looking at you, Captain Marvel... *cough cough*)

We've also all experienced one of those stories where maybe the only thing at stake is the protagonist's dog, but it's a tear-jerker of a tale that we can't put down even though it's way past our bedtime.

Why is that?

One word: stakes.

What Are They & Why Are They Important?

To put it simply, stakes are the consequences of failure (or success). They're what the protagonist will have to face if they lose (or, in a negative arc, win). It's what's on the betting table.

For instance, in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, there are multiple stakes like losing the treasure, Bilbo losing his friends, or Bilbo losing his own life. When you read Lord of the Rings, you find that there were even more stakes that weren't directly mentioned in the original book: if Erebor had continued under the power of Smaug, eventually Sauron would have come along and either killed Smaug and taken over or bribed Smaug and gained a powerful ally, not to mention a valuable stronghold and the vastest treasure ever.

So, in reality, the world was at stake even though Bilbo didn't know it.

But why do stakes matter so much?

The obvious answer would be because a story is boring without stakes. However, when you take a closer look at some stories, you find that some exist where they're incredibly boring even with stakes as dramatic as the world or a gigantic treasure. So perhaps a better answer would be, Because they keep you, as the reader, invested in both the plot and the character.

If you're finding that your story is lacking some element of intrigue or excitement, perhaps it's time you took your stakes to the next level: beyond plot and into character.

Raising the Stakes

Start off with a question: what are your stakes? What would happen if your protagonist lost? Would the world be destroyed or enslaved? Would the love interest move on? Would they be forced to go back to their old life as if nothing had ever changed?

Now take those stakes and place them under a microscope. Ask yourself why your readers should care about them - why your protagonist should care. Maybe even go a step further and ask one of your readers, or a friend/family member, what they think about your stakes. You need to pinpoint the problem before you can start looking for a cure.

I've found that the answer to fixing stakes that just aren't high enough is rather simple: make them personal.

Allow me to return to Tolkien. In Lord of the Rings, one of the clear stakes is the world at large. If Sauron were to regain the Ring, then Middle-earth would be lost to his all-powerful tyranny. Scary, right? Sure, but... why should we care? After all, Middle-earth doesn't exist and we haven't read about half the people in it.

This is where Tolkien's ingenuity comes in. You see, he takes that one big stake and pulls what appear to be smaller, more personal stakes from it to apply to each character. Yes, the world is at stake, but for Frodo it's more that the Shire is at stake. His home, full of all the things and people he love (some of whom we meet at the beginning). Same for Merry and Pippin. Sam stands to lose not only the Shire, his father, his love interest, and his own life, but also to see his master suffer under either the weight of the Ring and become like Gollum; or be caught, tortured, and killed by Sauron. Gandalf would lose all that he's fought to protect for hundreds of years - he'd face the weight of complete and utter failure. Gimli would lose his freedom. Legolas could leave Middle-earth, but at what cost? Leaving everyone else behind to face the terrors that he couldn't stop. Boromir would lose his homeland and have to watch the people he's sworn to protect suffer and die under a reign of terror. And Aragorn would face losing his home, his crown, his freedom, and quite possibly his life.

Voila. The stakes have become much more personal. But they're not just personal to the main characters - they're personal to us. How many of us have feared failure? Have feared losing our homes or families or the things that make us feel safe? How many of us would fight to the teeth to protect our freedom?

That's the secret to creating a story that keeps readers on the edges of their seats: making things personal. It's simple, but hard at the same time. After all, your stakes should tie into your protagonist's goal, desire, and fears, along with your theme and other elements. That means that you may have to address some hard questions, ones that you don't know the answer to. And it's often those stories that touch souls the most.

Some Ideas for You...

I compiled a quick chart to get those brain cells of your started up. ;P If you would like more help brainstorming, let me know! Comment about it or shoot me an email and I'll see if I can help. :)

​Bland/Cliche/Boring Stakes	Personal Stakes
​The fate of the world	The main character's home, family, best friend, etc.
​Going back to a boring, everyday life	The MC losing all their happy memories
​Their friends/family being killed	Their friends/family turning against them/betraying them
Losing their superpowers	Becoming an outcast/shunned by everyone who once loved them
The MC's life (not so boring if done right - but beware the cliches XD)	​The MC's life being lost for no reason - from their best friend's perspective

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What are some of your favorite examples of high stakes? What are some of your least favorite? Do you have any tips for making stakes more personal to both the MC and the readers? Was my Table of Good & Evil Stakes helpful or absolutely absurd? XDD

Until next time,

Take courage, pursue Christ, and smile while you still have teeth!! ^_^

-Joelle