Creating setups during payoffs, good or bad?

[J.D.Rajotte]

So I'm at the finale of my book (been here for months). A lot of the payoffs that I've subtly setup over the course of the book are coming to fruition. But as I'm introducing said payoffs in the form of characters, their techniques, weapons, etc. I'm noticing myself creating more setups (for future books) during the execution of said payoffs. This is all happening during the flow of the major, final combat scene of the book. I fear that all of this setting up is disrupting the flow of the finale and that I run the risk of boring/losing the reader, and also just muddying the quality of my own work. In short, is it ok to use payoffs to create new setups? Or should I seperate the two entirely to preserve the quality and consistency of each.

 

[Wayne Mack]

I fear that all of this setting up is disrupting the flow of the finale and that I run the risk of boring/losing the reader, and also just muddying the quality of my own work.

Trust your own intuition. If it is telling you that the future set ups are distracting, believe yourself.

As for set ups, I expect a novel to be complete as a stand alone. I refuse to buy a follow up work by an author who throws in open-ended situations at the end of a book; I feel cheated that I need to buy another book to see the conclusion of a story. That said, I am okay with a novel not resolving everything. There may be certain, underlying issues with the environment, political situation, etc., that can be then explored in greater depth in future tales. I will buy and read those types of follow-ons.

If there are future plot points to address, plant them early and plant them deep in the story. They should serve as Easter Eggs to the reader of a series and not as anything even remotely important in the current book.

 

[WSDuffy]

I don't think that setups and payoffs are mutually exclusive. Indeed, a lot of major payoffs ask new questions that make someone want to read a follow up. From what I am reading in your discussion, the revelations are happening within the flow of your narrative, that should be fine. The only reasons not to do mix some setups with your payoffs are 1) the new loose ends render your overall ending unsatisfying or 2) they shove you out of the main narrative. It looks like you are just sweetening your climax with interesting questions, which is a good thing.

 

[Flaviosky]

Maybe moving those new setups for a bit later? I mean, as I remember, the three-arc structure involves some sort of cooldown after the climax that serves to wrap things up.

I'm with @Wayne Mack in this one. If things will be left to adress in subsequent books, plant them earlier so they don't come up as cheap excuses for a sequel, as we usually see nowadays in pop series.

 

[The Big Peat]

1) Creating setups during payoffs feels like a natural and good way of doing things, as we all know answering questions often means creating more questions, and it's also just a good way to do a plot. So it's 100% okay do it in general. At the end of a book? Maybe you want to hold back a little bit, but creating some setups for the next book is smart, maybe necessary

2) That said, in this specific case where you're worried it's ruining the flow, there's a good chance your instincts are right and that maybe you need to push some of these set-ups out of the big climactic scene. It has to feel natural.

 

[J.D.Rajotte]

Trust your own intuition. If it is telling you that the future set ups are distracting, believe yourself.

As for set ups, I expect a novel to be complete as a stand alone. I refuse to buy a follow up work by an author who throws in open-ended situations at the end of a book; I feel cheated that I need to buy another book to see the conclusion of a story. That said, I am okay with a novel not resolving everything. There may be certain, underlying issues with the environment, political situation, etc., that can be then explored in greater depth in future tales. I will buy and read those types of follow-ons.

If there are future plot points to address, plant them early and plant them deep in the story. They should serve as Easter Eggs to the reader of a series and not as anything even remotely important in the current book.

Maybe a bit of context I forgot to mention that this book is number one of a planned series and that this last chapter is the finale of this first volume, think Harry Potter & the sorcerer's stone as opposed to a one-volume story.