This is K.M. Ireland and you are listening to the 298th episode of the Helping Writers Become Authors podcast. I only just returned from a great weekend of talking outlining and story structure to in Tucson, Arizona.

It was a pleasure to get to share my tremendous passion

for both these subjects with these wonderful riders and to get to experience their lovely state for the first time.

Every winter, I'm always swearing I'm going to move to Arizona.

So it was probably a good thing I got to experience

what the state is like at the height of summer first. Plus it's always a joy to get to

meet others who are equally passionate about telling stories and becoming better writers.

The visit to all the historic ghost towns may or may not have prompted some new story ideas too.

The latest post in the video series on my blog is revealed, the secret to creating

unexpectedly awesome supporting characters.

It offers an important reminder about the single greatest aspect of great supporting

characters and how you can put it to work in your own stories.

To find the post visit my site at helping writers become authors.com.

And now I hope you enjoy this week's podcast entitled Most Common Writing Mistakes Part 41,

When your story stakes aren't high enough.

There are two different ways you can blow your story stakes and both of them

have the ability to ruin your book. Before we dig into the pitfalls, let's take a

moment to consider just what story stakes are.

Your character's stake in your story is his personal investment in the conflict.

It's whatever he stands to lose should the game go south.

The stakes are about more than just his losing his story goal should he fail to overcome

the antagonistic force.

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