You can introduce higher consequences for the characters' actions or raise the level of difficulty they face. Maybe have a time limit or a more powerful antagonist.
To increase the stakes in your novel, you could heighten the emotional investment for the readers by making the characters' relationships more intense and threatened. Or make the rewards for success incredibly valuable and the penalties for failure devastating.
One way to do it is to increase the potential loss for the protagonist. For example, they could lose something dear to them or face a threat that affects not only them but also the people they care about. Another approach is to set a time limit or add more powerful antagonists.
You can raise stakes by introducing higher consequences for the characters. Make their goals more difficult to achieve or put more at risk for failure.
You can create stakes by putting the characters in situations where they have a lot to lose. Maybe it's their life, their relationships, or something they deeply care about.
You can raise the stakes by introducing time limits or unexpected obstacles. Maybe the hero has only a short time to achieve their goal, or a new enemy shows up that makes the situation much harder.
Take breaks when needed. Sometimes, stepping away for a while can give you a fresh perspective and renewed energy to come back to your novel. Don't be too hard on yourself if you have a slow day or week - it's all part of the process.
To spice up your novel, think about using rich and descriptive language to bring scenes to life. You could also include forbidden love or complex relationships to add drama. And don't forget to build up tension gradually to keep the readers hooked.
The stakes in a novel are basically what's at risk for the characters. They make the story exciting. If there's nothing to lose or gain, the story can be boring.
Story stakes add depth to characters. When characters have something important at stake, like their reputation in a small town in a Faulkner novel, we understand them better. We see their values and how far they'll go to protect or achieve what's at stake. It also helps in developing the plot as the characters' actions to meet or avoid the stakes drive the story forward.
The stakes drive the plot forward. High stakes create tension. For instance, if a character's life is in danger in a literary work, it forces the character to take action, which in turn moves the story along.
You can start by observing your daily life. Notice the people around you, the events that happen, and the emotions you feel. These can all inspire novel ideas.