Summary:
This 1429-word tutorial shows how to create a choose-your-own-adventure story. Learn what questions to ask yourself about your main character, the plot, and your audience. See examples of “Second Person” point-of-view, what kind of choices to give your readers, what clues to leave (if any), and what kind of endings to use. Discover the importance of keeping accurate records of your hero’s history, while keeping track of all of your plotlines.

Details or Sample:
Writing a choose-your-own-adventure (a.k.a. pick-your-own-path) story can get complicated, but with a little organization you can keep it under control. You should write from only one point of view, that of your protagonist/hero: The reader will be making various decisions that will change the plot, so let him/her experience the adventure through your hero’s senses. Also, keep extremely detailed records of the history of each plot line, including locations, people, inventory, and most importantly, your hero’s physical, mental, and emotional status. Let’s break it down.

Point of View

The least used narrative is called Second Person, where the reader is led through the story as the hero. Get used to typing “you” and “your” instead of “I” and “me,” unless you’re quoting someone. It may feel strange at first, but just stick with it.

Example: “Having lost your pursuers, you fling open the first door you come to and rush into a dimly lit room.”

To create an authentic experience, make sure you describe all sights, sounds, smells, tastes, physical sensations, emotions, and thoughts that only your hero experiences, leaving everything else out.

For instance, if you include another character’s thoughts, a sight that is behind your hero, or certain facts that your hero is not privy to, that’s cheating. Naughty author! Lightly smack yourself on the nose with a rolled up newspaper, remove the offending phrase(s), and continue writing.

Here’s a continuation of the first example, with some choices:

“You can see a forlorn-looking goblin shackled to the far wall as the stench of decay assaults your nose. Your eyes soon grow accustomed to the flickering torchlight and you notice a key ring, a sword, and a money pouch on a nearby table. Still catching your breath, you mull through your choices.

If you arm yourself with the sword, go to page 30
If you free the goblin with the keys, go to page 32
If you take the money and move on, go to page 97”

You’ll notice that this scene was written in the present tense. You could conceivably write in past or future tense, but that would severely lessen the sense of urgency needed for decision-making. Writing your story in the past (anti-climactic) or future (hasn’t happened yet) is not the same as keeping the reader in the present, which allows the full experience of knowing that a decision must be made right here, right now.

Developing your main character actually becomes a bit of a conundrum in this type of story. You want a hero that your reader can relate to and enjoy learning about, but without personality quirks that might distance the reader. Your hero should be interesting enough (along with the story itself) to make the reader want to make his or her own decisions when appropriate.

Forks in the Road

The fun part of writing a choose-your-own-adventure story is deciding when the reader gets to make a decision and what kind of choices to provide. Your story should begin normally, with enough background, setting, action, and peripheral characters to allow your reader to both enjoy and understand the early stages of the plot.

Then, as you develop various scenarios, ask yourself the following:

-- What makes a good stopping point? (Your hero probably won’t want to stop in the middle of a chase/fight/love scene.)
-- What choices will advance the plot? (Making your hero decide on a milkshake flavor or how much kibble to give the cat usually doesn’t matter. Try not to let your story stagnate.)
-- How do I make it fun for the reader? (Use lots of variables. See below.)

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Written by: Len Morse
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