Almost everybody understands that you have to have something at stake for a story to be good.
Diana Gabaldon, in her book "I Give You My Body . . .": How I Write Sex Scenes, emphasizes the importance of stakes in storytelling. She points out that a compelling narrative requires characters who face significant challenges or risks, as this engagement enhances the emotional depth of the story. Readers are drawn into plots where they can sense that much is at risk for the characters involved.
This idea resonates...