sweep stakes

The stakes in literary fiction often involve the characters' moral and emotional well - being. For example, in 'To Kill a Mockingbird', the stakes are high for Atticus Finch as he defends an innocent black man in a racially prejudiced society. His reputation, his family's safety, and his own sense of justice are all at stake.

You can create stakes by putting the characters in situations where they have a lot to lose. Maybe it's their life, their relationships, or something they deeply care about.

In literary fiction, story stakes can be about relationships. Take 'Pride and Prejudice'. The stakes for Elizabeth Bennet include finding true love and also dealing with her own pride and prejudices. Her future happiness and the social standing of her family are at stake in the choices she makes regarding Mr. Darcy.

High stakes can also be the survival of a character or a group. Take 'A Song of Ice and Fire' as an example. The Starks are constantly in danger of being wiped out. Their family's honor, lives, and the future of their house are all at stake, which drives the complex and thrilling plot.

The top stories in the Belmont Stakes often include the winning horse and jockey. For example, a Cinderella - like story of an underdog horse winning against all odds can be a top story. Also, any records broken during the race, like the fastest time in the Belmont Stakes history, are major news.

You can introduce higher consequences for the characters' actions or raise the level of difficulty they face. Maybe have a time limit or a more powerful antagonist.

One way to do it is to increase the potential loss for the protagonist. For example, they could lose something dear to them or face a threat that affects not only them but also the people they care about. Another approach is to set a time limit or add more powerful antagonists.

The stakes in a novel are basically what's at risk for the characters. They make the story exciting. If there's nothing to lose or gain, the story can be boring.

You can raise stakes by introducing higher consequences for the characters. Make their goals more difficult to achieve or put more at risk for failure.

You can raise the stakes by introducing time limits or unexpected obstacles. Maybe the hero has only a short time to achieve their goal, or a new enemy shows up that makes the situation much harder.