![]() I knew readers wouldn’t see it coming, either. When I finally envisioned it, I stopped dead in my tracks, stunned that I hadn’t seen it before. I knew I’d put together a pretty decent high-stakes novel, and I’d raised the core stakes progressively.Īs I patted myself on the back, Shawn mentioned a convention of the thriller he called the false ending-a final twist, jacking the stakes up to a whole new level.Īs I jogged, I wondered how I could work a false ending into my story. The episode was about the conventions and obligatory scenes of a thriller, and I was about three-quarters finished with writing my first thriller, Nocturne in Ashes.ĭuring the podcast, I mentally checked off boxes in my head. In the fall of 2016, I was jogging along a bike path in Bavaria, listening to the Story Grid podcast. In this article, you'll find practical strategies and tips you can use to raise the level of stakes in your story. Similar to the stakes in a hand of poker.įinding ways to do this is not always easy, but when you put forth the effort, the results can be spectacular! Once you’ve laid the foundation for high suspense and captured your reader’s attention, you need to up the ante. While a high stakes beginning captivates readers, it will only get them so far before the excitement starts to wear off.Īs your story's central conflict progresses, the risks to your main character must intensify, keeping the reader invested in turning pages to find out what happens. But once you've done this, do you know how to raise the stakes? ![]() As a writer, you know building a foundation for your story-with a compelling opening and a sympathetic character-will allow you to grab readers right out of the starting gate with intriguing story questions and high stakes.
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