 Drama: April 02, 2014 Issue [#6224] |
  Drama
This week: What Does "Raising Stakes" Involve? Edited by: Joy  
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"If there is one single principle that is central to making any story more powerful, it is simply this: Raise the stakes."
— Donald Maass, Writing the Breakout Novel
"Drama, instead of telling us the whole of a man's life, must place him in such a situation, tie such a knot, that when it is untied, the whole man is visible."
— Leo Tolstoy
"Make sure you aren't so dazzled by the climax and the conclusion of [your] plot that you abandon the conclusion of your character's long internal struggle."
— Elizabeth Lyon, Manuscript Makeover
"You take people, you put them on a journey, you give them peril, you find out who they really are."
—Joss Whedon
Hello, I am Joy , this week's drama editor. This issue is on raising the stakes.
Your Drama Newsletter Editors: zwisis NickiD89  kittiara Joy
Thank you for reading our newsletters and for supplying the editors with feedback and encouragement.
Note: In the editorial, I refer to third person singular as he, to also mean the female gender, because I don't like to use they or he/she. |
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Welcome to the Drama newsletter
The idea of raising the stakes as advised by writing instructors may feel foggy as to what needs to happen and when. The writer not only has to decide what the stakes are, but also how to and when to raise them.
Stakes can be defined as: What may be gain or loss, although usually difficulty and loss, for the main character in relation to his story goals. They are the dangers or the story twists that pop up in the character’s way to reaching his goal. These stakes show up as the result of the choices the character makes.
In a successful story, characters need to change. This change comes about through an internal change as the result of external pressure. But what could make a person change like that? The answer is, life experiences, mainly the ones the character fears or the ones that may make him lose a lot. Usually the bigger the threat of loss, the more pronounced the change becomes.
The red carpet of stakes first rolls under the character’s feet with an inciting event. The inciting event is when something starts happening or something goes wrong, which matters enough for the main character to want to fix it, so he won’t be bothered further with the consequences of the inciting event's negativity.
As the story continues, the best times to up the stakes or raise the level of danger is during the major plot points. Plot points are the moments where a story takes a turn or the protagonist decides on something, which sends the story in a different direction. In other words, each time the character makes a choice, he must suffer the consequences. The more difficult his choices, the riskier become the stakes.
Stakes increase the suspense, when they are in the form of larger dangers than what the character is ready for. As an example: A cop trying to catch a simple burglar may find an entire army of a mobsters facing him.
Not all stakes have to come in larger scales, however. Some can be quite small or trivial. When characters face trivial or sometimes peculiar stakes, the significance of these stakes can be increased. For example: A detective running out of the house to meet his client can forget to turn off the stove, later to find out that his house is burned down, which may make his life more difficult, especially if he had an important object or papers inside the house that would prove his case pertaining to the client.
Then comes the order in which a writer introduces the stakes. Although this sequencing of stakes is totally dependent on the subjective or artistic choice, the rule of thumb is to introduce the lower-impact stakes first, because tension increases as the stakes increase.
An example to show the sequencing of stakes can be: A character loses his friend to another universe through a minor fault. To find him, he knows he has to go through a black hole and change universes. So he makes every effort to travel to outer space. After he does that, he isn’t sure which black hole to choose because there are so many.
In a story, not all stakes have to be resolved with a positive outcome, but all need to be resolved. Otherwise, a plot hole will be left that the author will be blamed for.
Plot driven fiction needs to have larger stakes than in the literary genre. In literary fiction the stakes are mainly psychological, although psychological stakes are not for the literary fiction alone.
In whichever genre or style we write, however, while planning the plot, a few questions may help us to figure out the stakes and their outcomes. These questions are:
 What kind of harm can come to the protagonist in this setting and with this premise? How far can I push that threat?
Does my character have a moral or professional duty? How do I tweak this duty so that my character has to face the worst thing or decision in this situation?
Do I introduce new negative forces into the flow of events and when? How might these forces push the character about?
Can I introduce some new twist, event, or danger to mess up this character’s thinking process and work against what goes inside his head?
What are the social aspects of this story around my character? Can I make my character face a social trauma that can complicate his woes? Can I use or invent a community or world issue that will put a heavier burden on his shoulders?
A Writers Digest article divides the stakes into three types as personal, ultimate, and public. I think this article may be very helpful on the subject of stakes if read in its entirety.
Here is a link to it: 3-Key-Types-of-Stakes
May all your stakes favor your writing. 
Until next time...
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Conflict arises between colonists on an alien world. 2nd Place, "What a Character" contest
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 This Issue's Tip: Opening scenes work more efficiently for the story if they foreshadow the climax.
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Feedback for " Tweaking the Central Problem"
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Elle - on hiatus 
Thank you for the tips on 'tweaking the central problem'. I have issues writing conflict (that is, I'm not good at writing conflict) despite knowing it is necessary for longer works and your simple breakdown was so helpful. I'm definitely keeping this newsletter to refer back to. Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback. I am glad my NL helped you.
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An apple a day.... 
Great advice about the central conflict. I just finished reading The Light Between Oceans, and Stedman does exactly what you say . And it's her first book.
Thank you. I'll check that book out. I'm sure it's a winner.
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SantaBee 
Joy, I always enjoy your newsletters. I'm finally out of the writing cave and taking several weeks to just read. I've reading Riordan's "Heroes of Olympius" series and that's one thing I've noticed - he's got a time limit for the characters to solve the problem. I've noticed it's up'd the urgency for the characters, and as a reader, I like that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Smiles, Steph
Yes, Steph, that clock ticking always gets the hearts beating. Thanks for the input.
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BIG BAD WOLF Feeling Thankful 
Submitted item: "Brother Mine"
To be an expert at something, you must fail at least once. After all, it took Edison a 1000 attempts before he made a light bulb that worked, and he even joked about it.
Yup, many of us keep finding about that experience of failing.
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Quick-Quill 
In reading this I felt you were thoroughbut walked around the bush saying the same thing. How about just "up the ante", "Change what's at stake." What is it going to cost the MC if they continue down the path. If there isn't any cost. Change the path!!!
The MC has to lose, gain, or feel the change is worth it. If the MC doesn't then the reader won't either and the book will be sent to the dungeon. UP the STAKES folks. Look at all your favorite movies and books. Why do you love them? If the MC didn't do something, something was lost.
Your input gave me the idea for this issue's contents. Thanks for that.
What's at stake is definitely very important, but it isn't the only thing that would make a story a success, as there are many sides to a story. 
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Ida_Matilda_Wright Help
I am finding your writing skill that you use in your book excellent so far. Would you be interested in reading my very rough draft? I am being asked to change the ending and stretching the storyline by 30,000 words for submission.
Let me know, and thank you for such a generous heart.
Ida
Thank you for the compliment, Ida. Send me the link to your draft, and I'll see what I can do to help.
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