This week, I'm working on raising the stakes in my novel. Like tension, the more complications you add to a story, the better. Things are getting less cut-and-dried. My protagonist's mettle is being tested, and frankly so is mine. We're both having to show what we're really made of and I think the end result is going to be good.
So how does one complicate the life of a hero or heroine? All the advice I've ever read about this is basically to think of all the horrible things that could happen or stand in the way, and when you've run out of ideas, think of more. It is amazing to me how many you can come up with when you think you're done. And the more you push, the better the ideas that come out. You're heroine won't have an easy time of it, but the end will be that much sweeter when she arrives.
How do you torture...I mean complicate...your protagonist's life?
