Not every story is about saving the world.
Some of the best books—some of the most emotionally gripping books—have stakes that are, on the surface, small and personal. There’s no war, no apocalypse, no grand conspiracy. Just a character trying to win someone’s trust, make a difficult decision, or face a personal fear.
But if the stakes are small, how do you make them feel urgent, weighty, and impossible to ignore? How do you make a reader feel as invested in a dinner conversation as they would be in a high-speed chase?
Because if the stakes don’t feel big to the character, they won’t feel big to the reader.
Here’s how to make even the smallest conflicts feel huge, emotional, and unforgettable.
1. The Stakes Are Personal, Not Just Situational
The biggest mistake writers make when trying to create tension in a small-stakes story is thinking too literally about what’s at risk.
Stakes aren’t just about what happens in the plot—they’re about what it means to the character.
Example:
- If a character misses their child’s piano recital, that might seem like a small thing. But if it’s their last chance to prove they’re a reliable parent, then suddenly, it matters immensely.
- If a character loses their job, that might seem small compared to the fate of the universe. But if it’s the only thing keeping their family afloat, it becomes a gut-wrenching moment.
👉 Fix it: Ask yourself, Why does this matter to the character? What does it say about who they are and what they stand to lose?
If you can tie a small external event to something deeply personal, the stakes will feel huge—because they are.
2. Make the Reader Feel the Consequences Before They Happen
Sometimes, small-stakes moments feel weak because the reader doesn’t sense the weight of failure ahead of time.
To make small conflicts hit harder, show the reader what failure would look like before it happens.
Example:
- If a protagonist is afraid of confessing their feelings to someone, let the reader see their worst fear first—a past rejection, a painful memory, a moment where they almost spoke up and didn’t.
- If a character is about to take a test that could change their life, don’t just tell the reader it’s important—show them why it matters to them personally.
👉 Fix it: Before the moment of crisis, give the reader a glimpse of what the character stands to lose. Make them feel the weight of the moment before it happens.
3. Use Internal Conflict to Amplify External Conflict
A breakup over coffee. A tense conversation with a parent. A moment of hesitation before telling a secret. These might seem like small events, but what makes them gripping is the internal struggle behind them.
- Does the protagonist want two conflicting things at the same time?
- Are they lying to themselves about what they truly want?
- Are they fighting against their own nature to make the “right” choice?
👉 Fix it: Add layers of internal conflict. The harder the decision, the more weight every little action carries.
Example:
- In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth turning down Darcy’s first proposal isn’t just about romance—it’s about her entire view of the world, her pride, and her judgment being tested at once.
- In The Godfather, Michael Corleone’s small choices—whether to shake a man’s hand, whether to sit or stand in a room—are weighed down by the knowledge that they’re pulling him deeper into the world he swore he wouldn’t be part of.
A simple yes or no question can feel bigger than a war if it challenges everything the character believes about themselves.
4. Use the Clock—Even If There’s No Literal Deadline
Urgency isn’t just for thrillers. Even a small-stakes decision can feel tense if the character feels they’re running out of time—even if the pressure is purely emotional.
Example:
- A character realizing they need to say something before the other person walks away.
- A conversation where someone is stalling, trying to keep a moment from ending.
- A decision that feels harder because once it’s made, there’s no undoing it.
👉 Fix it: Add a ticking clock, even if it’s just psychological. If the character feels like they have limited time to act, the scene will carry more weight.
5. Make the Reader Invested in the Character’s Success
Sometimes a moment feels small because we don’t care enough about the character yet.
The reason small stakes work in great stories isn’t because of what’s happening—it’s because the audience cares deeply about who it’s happening to.
Example:
- In Breaking Bad, Walter White arguing with his wife over a simple decision about money feels massive—because by that point, we already know how much pride and desperation are driving him.
- In BoJack Horseman, a small phone call between BoJack and his mother feels devastating because we’ve seen the full weight of their history.
👉 Fix it: Before writing the high-stakes moment, make sure the reader cares deeply about what happens to the character. If they don’t, the moment won’t land.
6. Contrast Small Moments With Big Moments
A great way to make small stakes feel important is to place them next to something big.
- A quiet, intimate conversation right after a major action scene.
- A character trying to enjoy a normal moment while something huge is looming over them.
- A choice that feels small at first, but snowballs into something much bigger.
👉 Fix it: If a small-stakes moment isn’t working, try placing it after a major, high-stakes scene—the contrast will make it feel more powerful.
Final Thoughts: Small Stakes Aren’t Small If They Matter to the Character
Readers don’t care about how “big” the stakes are in the grand scheme of things. They care about how big they feel to the character experiencing them.
✅ Is the moment tied to something deeply personal?
✅ Does the reader understand what’s at stake emotionally?
✅ Is the moment urgent in some way—even if it’s just internally?
✅ Does the character have something to lose, even if it’s just a tiny piece of themselves?
Because the best books?
They don’t make small stakes bigger.
They make them feel like everything.
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