Once
you start thinking about plot points, you will want to weave in
setups and payoffs to pull your story together.
Setup/Payoff:
Any information, phrase, event or object introduced early in the
story, that may seem unimportant at the time, which turns into a
key payoff element later.
Setups
need to be carefully presented in way that audience does not suspect
they are being given key story information. Audiences should flash
back to the earlier setups during payoff moments and put the information
together in a new way.
Setups
Payoffs
Character
says something that seems unimportant like “I don’t
drink coffee.”
Character
needs to be rushed to the hospital for allergic reaction to
coffee later.
Object
given, found or obtained which seems useless or of small importance
at the time.
Useless
object becomes valuable tool or enables character to accomplish
plot goal in surprising way.
Information
given to character that seems unimportant.
This
information becomes the key to accomplishing plot goal later.
Character
finds clue, information or evidence. We do not see what they
do with this new information.
Character
uses clue in surprising way that audience may not see at first.
Show the result, such as information being suddenly presented
at a meeting. Another character could explain it was sent earlier.
Character
states opinion about situation such as “The truth shall
set you free.”
Character
ends up in a courtroom forced to lie then goes to jail for perjury.
Unexpected
event occurs causing character to adjust.
Unexpected
event spirals out of control.
Look
at your climax plot point and see what setup info or thing you can
include early in the story to shift the outcome in a surprising
way:
Plot
Goal succeeds or fails at climax because _________
Any other ideas for using setups and payoffs in your story?
