Witty Tone Helps Inflate Stakes

Humor can keep readers satisfied when the conclusion is muted.

Some readers might be left wanting if they expect a story to pay off in a particular way but doesn’t. An author hinting at something being miniscule only to have it be dramatic is engaging, but the reverse is tough to pull off.

One way to help readers feel as though they’ve gotten their money’s worth from a narrative that has been leading to something mo…