Story Stakes · How to Use Story Stakes to Transform Readers Into Raving Fans & Keep Them Turning the Pages of Your Screenplay or Novel by D'Costa, H.R. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Introduction 11 Types of Story Stakes Which Increase Tension and Reader Engagement

Stake Type #1: General Protection Stake Type #2: Demise Stake Type #3: Livelihood Stake Type #4: Freedom Stake Type #5: Reputation Stake Type #6: Sanity Stake Type #7: Access Stake Type #8: Regret Stake Type #9: Suffering and Sacrifice Stake Type #10: Justice Stake Type #11: Hero Happiness

Show Me the Money (and something else)!

Manufacturing a Mesmerizing MacGuffin

8 Modulating Factors Which Affect the Emotional Impact of the Stakes

Modulator #1: The Emotional Bond between Audiences and the Hero

Emotional Bond Wrecker #1: Too Much Delay Emotional Bond Wrecker #2: Potential Alienation Emotional Bond Wrecker #3: Dilution of Loyalty

Modulator #2: The Emotional Bond between Audiences and the Stakes

Forging a Bond with the Stakes Maintaining the Bond

Modulator #3: Boundaries and Restrictions

Time Resources Magical Powers

Modulator #4: Vulnerable Populations Modulator #5: Hero Backstory Modulator #6: Setting Modulator #7: Contingency Stakes Modulator #8: The Secret Modulator

The Story Stake Matrix

The Hierarchy of Needs The Cost of Participation The 4 Cells of the Story Stake Matrix

Cell #1: Low Cost, Spiritual Needs

Cell #2: Low Cost, Safety Needs

Comedies and Romantic Comedies A Special Note for Romance Novelists Action Movies et al.

Cell #3: High Cost, Safety Needs

Beginning Act 2A in Cell #3 The Climax Itself Avoiding the Anticlimactic Ending

Cell #4: High Cost, Spiritual Needs

Selling Stakes of Justice Selling Stakes of Reputation Selling Stakes of Happiness

Final Pointers for Cells #1 - #4 The Basic Story Stake Action Plan

Bonus: 5 Additional Purposes for Story Stakes

Craft a Dynamic Opening Humanize Antagonists Enhance Pacing Create Suspects and Red Herrings Advance the Plot without Sacrificing Your Characters

Conclusion Want More?