So, in a twist of events, the Pope may, or may not have declared last week that there is no hell.

“Souls are not punished,” the pope was quoted as saying in the (BBC) article. “Those who repent obtain God’s forgiveness and go among the ranks of those who contemplate him, but those who do not repent and cannot be forgiven disappear. There is no hell — there is the disappearance of sinful souls.”

How ever you greet this news, we’re not going to have a theological debate today on semantics or the doctrine of heaven and hell. (Apparently, heaven still exists, so, phew!) But this discussion brings up an essential element in storytelling, without which, you don’t have a strong story…

STAKES.

See, in storytelling, “Hell” must exist. I’m not talking about the lake of fire, the gnashing of teeth, the eternal separation from God—that place. I’m talking about the Terrible Place Your Character Will End Up at if he Doesn’t Complete his Goal. I’m talking about his own personal hell.

It’s the Shire on Fire, overrun by Orcs.

It’s Hogwarts taken over by Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

It’s the Galactic Empire finally finishing a Death Star.

STAKES. Things that go wrong if the hero/heroine don’t win the day. The reason they can’t give up.

Of course, Stakes need to be balanced out by something positive (ahem, heaven?) waiting for them if they should be victors. The prize worth fighting for.

At Novel.Academy, we call this balance the Push-Pull. The Push away from “hell,” the Pull toward “heaven.” And this push-pull has to be present in every scene (in big and small ways) to help motivate your character through the story.

Are you stuck in your story? Feel like it’s not compelling? Ask: SO WHAT? What happens if your characters don’t succeed? Is there a personal hell looming over their failure? And if they win…what is the heaven?

To create tension in your scene, ask the same question, but make it situational for the scene. What terrible thing pushes them forward, and what positive outcome beckons?

Without stakes, there’s no reason for your character to get off the sofa. Or for your reader to turn pages.

(Or, really, for Christ to die on the cross. Which, if you’re looking at the Bible as the World’s Greatest Story, is the black moment/climax of the entire epic tale, right?)

If you’re writing today, give your story a hell.

Otherwise, there’s no point in the happy ending.

Your story matters! Go write something brilliant!

Susie May

P.S. We recently opened the Deep Woods Writer’s Camp for registration. 6 days of in-depth, one-on-one writing time with me. I’d love to help you craft your epic, life-changing story. Check it out here.

P.P.S If you’re looking for FANTASTIC storytelling, I’d encourage you to watch I Can Only Imagine. It’s a great movie, not just a great Christian movie. You will walk away changed.