A Guide to Writing Branching Storylines

Have you ever wanted to create an interactive story where the reader gets to make choices that shape the narrative? Branching storylines, also known as “Choose Your Own Adventure” stories, allow you to do just that. In this post, we’ll explore the process of outlining and writing your own branching storyline step by step.

Step 1: Determine Your Story’s Core

Before you start weaving multiple paths, you need a solid foundation. Determine the core elements of your story:

• Genre: What kind of story do you want to tell? Is it a mystery, a sci-fi adventure, a romance?
• Protagonist: Who is your main character? What are their goals, motivations, and challenges?
• Central Conflict: What is the main problem or obstacle your protagonist must overcome?

Having a clear understanding of these core elements will help keep your branching storyline focused and cohesive.

Step 2: Outline the Main Path

Start by outlining the main path of your story—the sequence of events that would unfold if the reader made no choices. This main path should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and should resolve the central conflict.

Break down the main path into key scenes or chapters. For each one, note the main events, character developments, and any important details you want to include.

Step 3: Identify Decision Points

Now, look at your main path and identify points where the story could branch off based on a decision the protagonist (and by extension, the reader) must make. These are your decision points.

Good decision points should:

• Present the protagonist with a dilemma or choice that has meaningful consequences
• Occur at dramatic or suspenseful moments in the story
• Provide distinct and interesting alternatives for the story to proceed

For each decision point, determine the different paths the story could take based on the choices made.

Step 4: Develop Alternative Paths

For each decision point, flesh out the alternative paths that branch off from the main storyline. Consider how each choice would affect the protagonist, the other characters, and the overall plot.

As you develop these alternative paths, keep in mind:

• Each path should present unique challenges, revelations, or experiences for the protagonist
• The paths can converge back to the main storyline, lead to entirely different endings, or intersect with each other at various points
• Ensure each path remains consistent with the characters’ established traits and motivations

Step 5: Create a Branching Outline

Now that you have your main path and alternative paths outlined, it’s time to create a visual representation of your branching storyline. This can be done with a flowchart, a mind map, or even a simple list.

Your branching outline should clearly show:

• The main path and all the alternative paths branching off from it
• The decision points and the choices available at each one
• How the different paths interconnect or converge

Having a visual outline will help you keep track of your story’s structure and ensure that all the paths make sense and contribute to a satisfying narrative.

Step 6: Write Your Story

With your branching outline as a guide, start writing your story. As you write, keep these tips in mind:

• Ensure each path is engaging and well-developed, not just a slight variation of the main path
• Maintain consistency in character voice and behavior across all paths
• Use clear signposting to indicate decision points and make it easy for readers to follow their chosen path
• Consider how different paths might intersect or influence each other, and foreshadow these connections where appropriate

Remember, writing a branching storyline is an iterative process. Don’t be afraid to revise your outline or paths as new ideas emerge during the writing process.

Conclusion

Creating a branching storyline is a fun and rewarding way to craft an interactive narrative that puts the reader in control. By following these steps and letting your creativity flow, you can weave a complex and engaging story that your readers will love exploring again and again.

So what are you waiting for? Start outlining your own branching story today, and see where your choices take you!

Interactive Story Outline Example

Star Trek Interactive Story Outline

Episode 1: The Distress Call

• The USS Enterprise receives a distress call from a nearby planet
• Two paths:

1. Investigate the distress call
2. Continue on their current mission

Episode 2A: The Mysterious Planet

• If investigated, the away team discovers a previously unknown civilization
• Two paths:

1. Make contact with the civilization
2. Observe from a distance

Episode 2B: The Abandoned Starship

• If continued on the mission, the Enterprise discovers an abandoned Starfleet ship
• Two paths:

1. Board the ship to investigate
2. Analyze the ship’s logs remotely

Episode 3A: First Contact

• If contact is made, the away team learns of an impending disaster threatening the civilization
• Returns to Episode 4

Episode 3B: The Prime Directive

• If observed from a distance, the away team witnesses a natural disaster that devastates the civilization
• Returns to Episode 4

Episode 3C: The Missing Crew

• If boarded, the away team discovers the ship’s crew in stasis, infected by an unknown virus
• Returns to Episode 4

Episode 3D: The Borg Encounter

• If analyzed remotely, the Enterprise detects Borg activity in the area and must decide how to respond
• Returns to Episode 4

Episode 4: The Moral Dilemma

• The crew faces a moral dilemma based on the outcome of their previous choices
• Two paths:

1. Follow Starfleet protocol
2. Bend the rules to help

Episode 5: The Consequence

• The crew deals with the consequences of their decision in Episode 4
• Returns to Episode 6

Episode 6: The Resolution

• All paths converge as the Enterprise crew works to resolve the situation they’ve encountered

Season Finale: Final Frontier

• The events of the previous episodes are revealed to be connected to a larger plot that threatens the Federation
• The Enterprise crew must race against time to prevent a galactic catastrophe

Build a Map of the Storyline

                          +-----------------------+
                          |      Episode 1        |
                          |   The Distress Call   |
                          +-----------+-----------+
                                      |
                       +-------------+--------------+
                       |                            |
           +-----------v-----------+    +----------v-----------+
           |       Episode 2A      |    |      Episode 2B      |
           |  The Mysterious Planet|    | The Abandoned Starship|
           +-----------+-----------+    +----------+-----------+
                       |                            |
              +--------+--------+           +-------+-------+
              |                 |           |               |
   +----------v----------+  +---v-----------v+   +----------v----------+
   |     Episode 3A      |  |   Episode 3B   |   |     Episode 3C      |
   |    First Contact    |  |The Prime        |   |  The Missing Crew    |
   +-----------+---------+  |Directive       |   +-----------+----------+
               |             +--------+-------+               |
               |                      |                       |
               |                      |                       |
         +-----v-----+          +-----v-----+           +-----v-----+
         |Episode 4A |          |Episode 4A |           |Episode 4B |
         |The Weight |          |The Weight |           |The Needs  |
         |of Command |          |of Command |           |of the Many|
         +-----------+          +-----------+           +-----------+
               |                      |                       |
   +-----------v-----------+  +-------v-------+     +---------v---------+
   |      Episode 5        |  |   Episode 5   |     |     Episode 5     |
   | Shadows of the Past   |  |Shadows of the |     |Shadows of the Past|
   +-----------------------+  |Past           |     +-------------------+
                              +-------+-------+
                                      |
                              +-------v-------+
                              |  Episode 6    |
                              |The Reckoning  |
                              +-------+-------+
                                      |
                              +-------v-------+
                              | Season Finale |
                              |The Final      |
                              |Frontier       |
                              +---------------+