Story Stakes May Be Low
Hans Ness
“Raise the stakes! The protagonist must take great risks and have so much to lose.”
I’m rolling my eyes. Much is written about raising the stakes of your story, and it’s all generally good advice. But many sources tend to over-hype themselves beyond reason. In particular, sometimes the protagonist has
nothing to lose and takes no risks, and it’s still highly compelling. Don’t believe me? See for yourself:
Cars — Lightning McQueen is at the top of his career. He tied for first place in the Piston Cup, and he wants to win the rematch, which will also get him a bigger sponsor. If he doesn’t win, what does he lose? Nothing. He’d still be at the top of his career and still have his current sponsor. He’d keep the status quo, which is already great!
Rocky — Rocky decides to box Creed. It’s a great opportunity, with nothing to lose.
In other words, the stakes can be what they have to
gain, which can be just as compelling as having something to lose. Also the stakes don’t have to be big in the grand scheme of things; they just have to be important to the protagonist. This is very common in stories about games and contests. You can take it either way:
A. We want to win the game.
B. We must win the game, or else something bad will happen.
The stakes are higher in
B because there’s something to gain
and something to lose, and usually that is better. However, if
A is already compelling and
B feels contrived, then stick with
A. Raising the stakes is always worth considering, but not always better.
More Exaggerated Advice
“The goal must be so important to the protagonist, they will stop at nothing until they achieve it.”
Not always true. It’s actually common for the protagonist to doubt themselves and give up ... until they are encouraged by a friend or family.
The Lion King — Simba gives up for most of Act 2 by running away and not looking back. Only after he sees his father’s ghost does he choose to overthrow Scar.
How to Train Your Dragon — Hiccup gives up when his father takes away Toothless, until Astrid encourages him.
Sing — Buster Moon gives up on the concert after the theater is destroyed, until Meena inspires him.
Takeaway
All that really matters is the goal is very important to the protagonist. As long as we care about them and understand how important it is to them, then we will be engaged and rooting for their success.