Crafting a Compelling Rising Action in Your Story: Tips and Examples

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 20 June 2023 6 min read

When you're crafting a story, one of the most vital components to consider is the rising action. This part of the narrative is where the tension and excitement build, and it's what keeps your readers engaged and invested. Let's explore how to create a compelling rising action for your story that will captivate your audience and leave them wanting more.

1. Understanding Rising Action

The rising action of a story is the phase where conflicts, challenges, and obstacles begin to escalate, and the stakes become higher for the characters. It leads to the climax and sets the stage for the resolution. To create a gripping rising action, you need to understand its elements, and how it differs from the climax.

1.1 Elements of Rising Action

The key elements to consider when developing the rising action of a story are:

Conflict: Introduce problems or obstacles that the characters must face and overcome.
Tension: Build suspense and anticipation as the conflicts become more complex and challenging.
Character development: Reveal more about the characters' personalities, motivations, and backstories.
Pacing: Ensure that the story moves at a steady pace, with a balance of dialogue, action, and description.

1.2 Rising Action vs. Climax

While the rising action of a story is crucial for building tension and excitement, it's important not to confuse it with the climax. The rising action leads up to the climax, which is the turning point or the most intense moment of the story. The difference between the two can be summarized as follows:

Rising Action: A series of events that increase tension and conflict, and develop the characters and their relationships.
Climax: The highest point of tension in the story, where the main conflict comes to a head and is resolved in some way.

Understanding the distinction between the rising action and the climax will help you craft a more engaging and well-structured narrative.

2. Creating Compelling Conflicts

Conflicts are the driving force behind the rising action of a story. They create challenges and obstacles that the characters must overcome, and they keep the reader invested in the narrative. Let's explore how to create compelling conflicts that will make your story's rising action truly engaging.

2.1 Choosing the Right Conflicts

To create engaging conflicts, consider the following:

Relevance: Ensure that the conflicts are relevant to the story's main theme and the characters' goals.
Variety: Use a mix of internal and external conflicts, such as personal struggles, interpersonal issues, and external forces or circumstances.
Escalation: Make the conflicts grow more challenging and complex as the story progresses, raising the stakes for the characters.

2.2 Developing Conflict Tension

To maintain your reader's interest, it's essential to build tension throughout the rising action of a story. Here are some tips for developing tension in your conflicts:

Uncertainty: Keep the outcome of the conflicts uncertain, so readers are eager to know what happens next.
Emotional stakes: Make the conflicts matter to your characters on an emotional level, so the reader becomes invested in their struggles.
Pacing: Use a combination of fast-paced action and slower, more reflective moments to keep the reader engaged and maintain suspense.
Surprises: Include unexpected twists or turns in the story that challenge the characters and add complexity to the conflicts.

By creating captivating conflicts and developing tension, you'll make the rising action of your story both engaging and unforgettable.

3. Developing Relatable Characters

Characters are at the heart of every story, and their journey through the rising action is what keeps readers invested. Let's look at how to develop relatable characters that will make your story's rising action even more compelling.

3.1 Character Backstories

Creating well-rounded characters with interesting backstories can help to make them more relatable and engaging. Consider the following when crafting your characters' pasts:

Origins: Where do your characters come from, and how has their upbringing shaped their personality and motivations?
Experiences: What significant events or experiences have your characters gone through, and how do these moments impact their current situation?
Relationships: Who are the important people in your characters' lives, and how do these relationships affect their actions and decisions?

3.2 Character Motivations

Understanding your characters' motivations is crucial for making their actions in the rising action of a story feel authentic and relatable. Keep these points in mind when exploring your characters' motivations:

Goals: What are your characters' primary goals, and how do they plan to achieve them?
Desires: What do your characters truly want, and how are these desires driving their actions?
Fears: What are your characters afraid of, and how do these fears influence their choices and behavior?

By developing relatable characters with intriguing backstories and clear motivations, you'll ensure that readers remain invested in their journey through the rising action of your story.

4. Using Subplots to Enhance Rising Action

Subplots are a great way to add depth and complexity to your story, making the rising action more engaging and dynamic. Let's explore how to effectively use subplots to enhance your story's rising action.

4.1 Weaving Subplots into Main Plot

Integrating subplots into your main story can create a richer, more immersive reading experience. Here are some tips for weaving subplots into the rising action of a story:

Relevance: Ensure that your subplots have a clear connection to the main plot, either by affecting the story's outcome or by highlighting a theme or character.
Pacing: Introduce and develop subplots throughout the rising action, making sure they don't overshadow the main plot or slow down the story's progression.
Resolution: Tie up loose ends by resolving subplots before or during the story's climax, providing a satisfying conclusion for readers.

4.2 Maintaining Plot Cohesion

While subplots can enhance the rising action of a story, it's essential to maintain a cohesive narrative. Keep the following in mind when incorporating subplots:

Balancing focus: Allocate enough attention to both the main plot and subplots, ensuring neither aspect of the story becomes neglected or overwhelming.
Smooth transitions: Shift between the main plot and subplots in a seamless manner, using techniques like parallel storylines or alternating points of view.
Consistent tone: Make sure the tone and themes of your subplots complement the main plot, maintaining a consistent atmosphere throughout the story.

By effectively using subplots to enhance the rising action of a story, you'll create a more engaging and complex narrative that captures your readers' attention.

5. Examples of Effective Rising Action

Learning from examples can be a great way to understand how to craft an effective rising action in your story. Let's take a look at two examples, one from literature and one from film, showcasing well-executed rising actions.

5.1 Example from Literature

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the rising action is skillfully built around the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of assaulting a white woman in a small Southern town. Throughout the rising action, Lee integrates several subplots, including the development of main characters, Scout and Jem Finch, and their relationship with the mysterious Boo Radley. These subplots not only contribute to the main plot's tension but also highlight the novel's themes of racism, prejudice, and moral growth.

The trial subplot serves as the primary source of conflict, and the author effectively weaves in other subplots to enrich the rising action of the story. As a result, readers are engaged by the intricate narrative and emotionally invested in the characters' struggles.

5.2 Example from Film

In the film The Dark Knight, the rising action revolves around the struggle between Batman and the Joker, as the Joker wreaks havoc on Gotham City. The film's subplots add depth to the main conflict, such as the transformation of Harvey Dent into Two-Face and the ethical dilemmas faced by Gotham's citizens.

These subplots are woven seamlessly into the main plot, maintaining a consistent tone and pacing throughout the film. By developing the characters and their motivations, the rising action keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, culminating in a climactic showdown between Batman and the Joker.

Both examples demonstrate the power of a well-crafted rising action in engaging audiences and driving a story forward. By focusing on character development, conflict, and subplots, you too can create a compelling rising action that will captivate your readers or viewers.

If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of documentary filmmaking, be sure to check out the workshop 'Documentary Treatment: Act Two' by Reshelshah. This insightful workshop will guide you through the intricacies of crafting a compelling second act for your documentary, ensuring your film keeps audiences engaged and captivated.