I imagine if I were a young person trying to have a career in writing of one kind or another, I would find generating excitement profitable. Not just profitable in income and reputation, but also but maybe in my productivity, too.
If I create a fictitious account of a race between two fellows who are always wondering which of them is the "better", it will probably be more interesting and more memorable if the account relates the high emotional state of the rivals, whether or not the reader has a brother, is a runner or has ever been in a match-up "against" someone that elicited strong emotion.
So, I may head the story line in a direction of typical strong emotion. Since most people have a strong fear of death or serious damage to their bodies, my story may get more readers and more raves if it shows the possibility of bodily harm to one or both of the rivals. Or, what if in addition to physical danger, the two are both trying to win the heart of the same girl??? Geez, I bet I could get a very high fee for a story like that.
