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Blog Post
Is My Story Good Enough?
Aime Sund • Dec 22, 2023
What author hasn't asked this question of their computer screen, mirror,
best friend, or editor?
Inevitably, at some point in the drafting or self-editing process, this dread-inducing question surfaces to tromp around in the happy garden of words we have planted.
One of the first elements writerly advice suggests examining to combat the dread are the stakes the protagonist faces. Stakes play a pivotal part in creating tension in the story, guiding plot points, and influencing the protagonist's choices.
Authors may feel they contribute to the story not being “good enough.”
I contend that this is often a misbelief. I say often because it is possible for a story's stakes to be too low or mild to pull the protagonist through the story or hold the reader's interest.
In many cases, however, the stakes are intrinsically linked to a character's makeup. The author can't change the stakes too much without changing the character, and we all know how our characters seize control of their own lives and refuse to relinquish it. The stakes need to stay the same (or close to it) for the character's sake.
That's where the misbelief comes in. The misbelief that the stakes are to blame for the story falling short. The stakes are enough if the character believes they are. The job of the author is to convince the reader to believe as the character does, no matter what the stakes are.
See how that turns the question of “good enough” around, making it a challenge instead?
An entire category of stories across several genres, known as “cozy,” is based upon this idea. Stakes in cozy novels aren't end-of-the-world or fight-to-the-death. Instead, they may be losing a home, or job, or a reclusive character's sense of security. The stakes could even be a series of more personal pitfalls that the character will make decisions to avoid.
The crucial factor is that, for the characters, these stakes are a worst possible outcome. The author must then convince the reader and have them experience the impact of this truth. When done well, the stakes in such novels can make the stories more reachable and relatable, warmer and approachable—hence the “cozy” tag.
The next time your critical writer's brain tries to derail progress with notions of inadequacy or not being “good enough,” pause a moment and ask your reader self (or beta reader or editor) if the character's discomfort with the stakes is clear and visceral. Are the decisions that determine their actions consistent with the stakes? Do the decisions reinforce the stakes repeatedly before the stakes are uncovered as the lie the character believes and are overturned?
By steering the question away from a judgment and into a challenge or task, the stakes become a tool in your arsenal, a strength of the story you can explore.
Your story IS “good enough.” When you (and the characters) believe it and believe IN it, your readers will too.~
