How to Use Setups & Payoffs in Your Novel
Spoiler Alert! *This blog post includes spoilers for the following books: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas.*
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It’s every reader’s favorite moment in a story—the one where everything clicks for the protagonist. The clues, details and hints come together as they realize who the killer is, that the cute guy at work is actually in love with them, or exactly how to defeat the villain. These moments can leave readers mind blown or kicking their feet giggling, but mastering the emotional payoff first begins with the perfect setup.
The skills necessary to pull off a successful setup/payoff relationship may be more complicated than you might think. Setup too overtly and the reader will catch on to the payoff long before the protagonist. Keep the details too vague and the payoff will not successfully convince readers to suspend disbelief. Even leaving miscellaneous details in your manuscript might set readers on a course to expect a payoff that is never coming due to the seeming importance of a moment that is not at all relevant to the plot of your novel.
With these pitfalls in mind, let’s talk about how you can successfully navigate setups and payoffs in your novel to keep readers intrigued and satisfied by the end of your manuscript.
What is a Set Up?
A setup is a narrative element introduced in the beginning of a story such as details, clues, character actions or hints. Although they may appear insignificant at first glance, these elements are strategically positioned to fulfill a greater purpose later on. A strong setup lays the groundwork, generation anticipation or curiosity without being too overt.
Setups can be small like a glass slipper or the hint of a memory or they can be grande like a young girl be chosen to fight against other teenagers to the death for sport or a phrase such as “Winter is coming.” The key is drawing the reader’s attention in the direction of this information so that they assign importance to its presence.
What is a Payoff?
A payoff is when the earlier narrative elements of a story lead to a meaningful outcome, offering resolution, surprise or insight. A payoff satisfies the reader’s curiosity by explaining the significance of previous events usually enhancing the plot or character arc.
Payoffs can be both external as in plot elements or internal as in character development, but the most impactful do both. For example, when Celaena’s identity is revealed in the Throne of Glass series, it is not just an external plot problem solved, but a gripping emotional realization as the reader comes to terms with her traumatic past.
Why Do setups and Payoffs matter in writing?
The truth is the readers are hungry for the type of emotional payoff that books give them. They are astute sleuths when it comes to setups, so much so that they often latch on to details that have no importance and assign them meaning. Think about how many folks are on BookTok picking apart popular novels for clues about the big payoff of the next book. Authors cleverly deploying hints result in curious readers searching for answers, but this relationship is built upon trust.
Leading readers on without delivering satisfying payoffs can leave them feeling let down. This kind of emotional misstep risks disappointment. On the other hand, when writers build trust by carefully placing and resolving breadcrumb clues throughout their novel, readers stay engaged, eager to uncover the answers.
The emotional power of a successful payoff is not to be understated. Closing loose ends in a way that is both exciting and inevitable draws readers deeper into the story as they wonder to themselves: '“Of course! How could I have missed this? It was right there in front of me!”
How do you use Setups & Payoffs?
Here’s how you can use this in your writing:
Only reveal information on a need to know basis. This means keeping world-building and backstory from the reader until they need this knowledge to make sense of the story. By slowing the flow of information, no singular detail will seem so overt as to raise suspicion.
Plant the seeds of your later plot points in the first half of your story. Timing is everything when it comes to setups and payoffs. Setup too late and your payoff won’t have the same emotional impact. Payoff too early and the reader will lose intrigue.
When revising, search for miscellaneous details that readers might unintentionally give meaning. Readers are looking for setups, so its important to comb your novel for anything that may read like important information, but never payoff down the line. These unintentional setups will accidentally frustrate readers.
Avoid setups that don’t payoff. Setting up, but never giving a satisfying payoff is a recipe for frustrated readers. Avoid this common pitfall to elevate your writing.
Examples of Successful Setups & PAyoffs:
*This section includes spoilers for the following books: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas.*
The HUnger Games by Suzanne Collins
Setup: Katniss remembers learning foraging skills from Prim and her father, specifically around which berries are poisonous.
Payoff: Katniss and Peeta use the berries to force the Capital into declaring them both victors
Why it Matters: The original setup for this payoff is very subtle and could easily be overlooked, but it plants a seed in the reader’s subconscious that frames later actions by Katniss.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Setup: Early in the book, Kya notes that female spiders kill their mates as part of their mating ritual. Her pragmatic nature is revealed by this assessment.
Payoff: Kya’s involvement in Chase’s death brings this detail full circle as readers think back to her words and actions to determine whether or not she is capable of murder.
Why it Matters: This novel is an excellent example of making little details hold meaning for the reader. When Kya goes to trial, the reader recalls her previous actions as well as the prejudices against her. Weighing both, they begin to wonder: is she capable of such violence?
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Setup: Celaena Sardothien is able to communicate with the ghost of the ancient Queen Elena Galathynius.
Payoff: Celaena Sardothien’s royal lineage is revealed at the end of the second book explaining her connection to the Queen.
Why it Matters: This setup is actually a trifecta with a payoff that doubles as another setup for the remainder of the books in the series. Sarah J. Maas is a pro of leaving a breadcrumb trail of clues for her readers to follow.
That’s all for now! If you need help analyzing the setups and payoffs in your novel, feel free to reach out to me or learn more on my instagram below:
