There’s nothing more satisfying than a good setup and payoff in a novel, but pulling it off is a delicate art to master. It takes care, forethought, and some finesse to make it work. If you’re lost in the weeds with your manuscript, look no further than this article.
What Does Setup and Payoff Mean?
At the heart of every well-crafted narrative is a delicate balance between the setup and payoff. Setups are the subtle foreshadowing that lay the groundwork for future events. They plant the seeds of anticipation and invite readers to speculate and wonder—it keeps them engaged. Payoffs, on the other hand, fulfill these promises and provide a satisfying resolution that ties the narrative together.
Now that we’ve established that, let’s take a look at the components individually.
The Importance of the Setup in Fiction
While setups and payoffs are important to every form of storytelling, they are critical in getting your reader to enjoy your fiction work.
Establishing Expectations
Imagine a world where every corner turned or door opened holds the promise of adventure. Setups create that feeling. When done well, they invite intrigue and set the stage for what is to come. They tease at something, suggest a possible outcome or event, and keep the reader hungry to find out what happens.
Whether it’s the subtle hint of impending danger in your epic fantasy or a lingering glance laden with meaning, setups encourage readers to become active participants in the unfolding story.
Providing an Experience, Not Just a Story
It’s not just about teasing the next thing, though. Setups serve as the hooks that draw readers deeper into the narrative. By planting seeds of curiosity and anticipation, you compel readers to invest themselves emotionally in the story.
This can also be used to your advantage because your payoff doesn’t have to match your setup. You can use these elements to craft the highs and lows of your readers’ emotional journey and even keep them guessing.
Avoid Accidental Setups
Sometimes the story takes on a life of its own during the drafting process. Before you know it, that cool detail you added in the heat of the moment is a dangling plot thread—a setup without a payoff.
Remember, a setup is a promise, meaning if you leave it unfulfilled, your reader is also unfulfilled. An accidental setup could be anything—side plot, scenes, conversations, or information that doesn’t contribute to your ending.
Spotting and removing these is an important skill for the self-published author to have. Keep your eyes peeled.
Setups in Harry Potter
A good example of a literary setup comes from the much-beloved Harry Potter series. In The Prisoner of Azkaban, Professor Trelawney responds dramatically to the figure in Harry’s tea leaves, sparking intrigue over “The Grim,” which foreshadows the meeting Sirius Black.
Another example comes from the first book, where it’s repeatedly noted that Professor Quirrel wears a head wrap. Later we learn it’s concealing the second face of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!
Making It All Pay Off
All that intrigue and curiosity you generate with setups is only worthwhile if you finish with a solid payoff.
Fulfilling Promises
If setups are the promises, then payoffs are those promises being kept. A good payoff should satisfy the expectations you set up with the earlier narrative and reward readers for their investment in the story. Whether it’s the resolution of an ongoing mystery or the culmination of a character arc, payoffs provide the closure that readers crave.
Failing to deliver a payoff can be frustrating for a reader and leave them feeling that your narrative is sloppy, which is why it’s so crucial to tie up any threads you introduce. Imagine going to your favorite restaurant and ordering their exciting new special. You have expectations for how good it will be and how pretty it might be to look at. Now imagine they brought you a completely different dish or no dish at all. That is the world of setups without payoffs.
Providing Closure
A sense of closure is essential for readers. It is the final chord of a symphony, the last brushstroke on a canvas. Payoffs provide this feeling, tying up loose ends and bringing the narrative full circle. They leave readers with a sense of satisfaction, knowing that their journey has reached its rightful conclusion.
Think again of that restaurant with the new special. Let’s say you order it, it comes out, and it’s more incredible than you could have imagined. It sounded good on the menu, but the flavors are amazing, the presentation is perfect, and the whole experience feels exciting from start to finish. You had the promise of a good time from the menu description, but the payoff managed to top even that. That’s the experience your reader is looking for!
The Payoff in The Lord of the Rings
J. R. R. Tolkien’s masterpiece series has more setups and payoffs than you can shake a stick at, but there’s one payoff that stands above the rest. After an arduous journey and hardship, Frodo and Sam finally reach Mount Doom, the place they have been questing for.
The final confrontation between Frodo and Gollum, which results in Gollum’s death, presents a multifaceted payoff. It brings a conclusion to Smeagol’s story, an end to the quest, and a release of our deeply changed main character. Even Frodo’s shift as a character is a payoff, as it reveals the emotional result of everything that preceded it.
Planting the Seeds Early
Timing is everything when it comes to setups and payoffs. Planting seeds early ensures that they have time to take root and grow, maximizing their impact when they finally come to fruition. Whether it’s a subtle clue hidden in plain sight or a seemingly insignificant detail that takes on greater significance later, effective setups require careful planning and execution.
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