Introduction
Guided narrative is a storytelling structure in which the reader directs the protagonist. This conveys a sense of agency and exploration while the story path is linear toward the destination. The narratives are written in the first-person, present tense, in a self-aware style, be it gritty realism, satirical wit, or surreal introspection.
Guided narratives blend traditional story elements with interactive fiction. This hybrid leverages the illusion of choice, direct reader engagement, and meta-narrative elements to create a compelling, immersive experience. Let’s have a quick example.
“Cloak of Darkness,” written in 1993 by Roger Firth, is the standard for showcasing a particular approach. The protagonist starts in a dark foyer wearing a wet cloak and navigates various rooms, such as a bar and a cloakroom, finding light to reveal a message that declares victory. This is how “Cloak of Darkness” might appear as a guided narrative.
Cloak of Darkness
Opera House Foyer
The foyer’s dark and empty.
There’s no one else around.
My shadow is my company
—and echos, the only sound.
I’m standing here with a wet cloak on my back. Wet from the rain, the kind that soaks you to the bone and makes you wonder why you ever left the house.
There are doors to the south and west and an exit north.
Try the north door.
It’s locked. Figures. Nothing ever opens up when you need it to. I’ll try the door south of the foyer instead.
The Bar
At least, I think it’s a bar—too dark to be sure, but sure to make me stumble. I’m going back.
Foyer
Ah, the foyer, where the emptiness is an old friend.
Head west, see what’s there.
Cloakroom
An unremarkable cloakroom, except for a small brass hook. It gleams in the dim light like a promise no one ever kept.
Hang your cloak on the hook.
Good idea, let it hang dry. But I’m not hanging around to watch. Besides, I see a light back in …
The Bar
More than light, there’s a message in the sawdust on the floor:
You have won!
Won what? Life’s a game where the rules change whenever you think you’ve figured them out. But for now, I’ll take it.
The following short story, “Epsilon Artifact,” showcases guided narratives with a more immersive and engaging experience.
Epsilon Artifact
Epsilon Null, 2145
Transporter Exit
The transporter narrows
to a vertical line,
then vanishes with a pop.
Epsilon Null, this abandoned rock,
is lost in space and time.
The only sign of life is in the research facility, digging up long-deceased referred to as “the great ones” because of their skeletal size.
Facility Entrance
The air is filled with the hum of machinery and a faint scent of antiseptic. Technicians move about as security cameras sweep the area. The main lab lies to the north.
See what you have in your suit.
I have a keycard, gloves, and my retinal scanner—an electronic notebook with data about the facility.
Make your way to the …
Main Lab
It’s a hive of activity, filled with equipment and researchers engrossed in their work. Dr. Harris, the lead scientist, notices me and approaches.
“Ah, you’re here. We need that artifact to complete our research. It’s somewhere in the facility, Dr. Harris says, but we’ve had no luck finding it.”
Ask Dr. Harris for more information.
“It’s a small, ancient device,” Dr. Harris says. “A rod rounded at the ends but made of no metal we know. I suspect one of the technicians went rogue and hid it on the research compound, likely in one of the secure labs. You’ll need to bypass the security system to access them.”
Examine the security systems.
Security is retro, at best. Nobody expects theft on a remote rock in a distant solar system. Access requires a combination of a keycard and biometric scan. There’s also a central control that monitors all activity.
Head to the ….
Control Room
There are monitors and control panels. A security officer named Titus is stationed here, watching the facility.
Examine the monitors.
They’re all virtual but appear solid. I might have more luck talking with Titus.
“We’ve had some issues with the security systems lately,” Titus says. If you can help me fix them, I might be able to give you access to the secure labs.”
Access for a favour. Titus could be the rogue technician—report him.
I’ll see how this plays out and take it from there. I agree to help fix the security systems.
“Great, Titus says. “And you can just call me Ti. The main issue is with the biometric scanner. It’s been malfunctioning and needs recalibration.”
That entails a trip to the …
Scanner Room
It’s off the main lab. The scanner is a complex device, and the malfunction prevents access to the secure labs. Titus is right—the calibration does appear to be off. It needs a specific code to reset it, which might be in the technician’s office.
With stealth, circle back to …
Ti’s Office
The space is cluttered with tools, manuals, and notes. A terminal on the desk might have the reset code.
Search the terminal.
It requires a password. A sticky note on the monitor reads:
favourite element
Enter “Titanium” for the password.
Titus, Ti, Titanium. It’s worth a shot. The terminal unlocks, and I find the reset code.
Scanner Room
I enter the code, and the scanner recalibrates with a soft beep.
Control Room
Titus looks relieved. “You fixed it! As promised, here’s access to the secure labs. Be careful in there.”
Why start in order with the room? Begin with …
Lab B
There is little of interest here except for a locked cabinet requiring a keycard and a code.
Use the keycard.
Tried that. As I say, the keycard grants access but still needs a code.
Check your electronic notebook.
Ah, I didn’t think it would have codes to secure labs on this rocky outpost, but right you are. Lab B locker: GR81Z. Great ones—of course, the ancient indigenous.
Enter the code.
The locker pops open, revealing a rod with rounded ends. I put on my gloves, then lift out the artifact.
Main Lab
Dr. Harris looks ecstatic. “You found it! And so quickly.”
I recount events and my suspicion. Dr. Harris raises a question: Titus did not hide the artifact well and allowed access to the labs. Why would he give the artifact up so easily? Did he want it found?
She calls him down.
Demand an explanation.
“Redemption,” Titus says. “Sure, I can see how you think I went rogue. I suppose I did, but I regret it and want to redeem myself, ensuring the artifact is found so research can continue.”
“Why,” Dr. Harris asks.
“To expose flaws in the facility’s ancient security systems. We need better security.”
My retinal scanner signals an alert. A small rocket has launched, yet there is no security alarm.
“Or as a distraction,” I say. “Titus could have used the artifact to divert attention from a more significant action—or theft. A rocket just launched, and it’s headed toward Earth.
The next chapter introduces the guided narrative form. Subsequent chapters examine the challenges (puzzles, obstacles) that typically drive guided narratives. This collection includes two dozen complete short-stories demonstrating each canonical challenge. The final chapter generalizes the concept of GN.
Index of GN Stories
Amber Pendant, The Sandstands, 1953
Art of the Possible, Port Spindrift, 1995
Blood Moon, Foxglove County, 1988
Day in the Life, Brindle Pond, 25 May
Eclipse Manor, Aldridge, 1887
Follow the Light, Redstone, 2025
Holmes’ Poultice, London, 1895
Initiation Rite, Hawthorne, 2018
Keeping Watch, New Arcadia, 2002
Kid Clown, Quinlan, 2020
Last Commute, Fallkirk, 1989
Last Heist, Alora City, 1988
Lost Colony, Epsilon Eridani, 2147
Midnight Match, New Arcadia, 1947
Parables of Elián, West Island, 1923
Patterns of Deceit, London, 1999
Phantom of Bryston, Bryston, 1999
Prime Navigators, Port Lyndora, 17th Tide of the Celestial Compass
Revolution Afoot, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1781
Ridge Rescue, August Forest, 1914
Show of Hope, Caldwell, 2022
The Helm, Port Eldoro, 1715
The Willow Weeps, Village of Blackwood, 1923
Vanish Without Trace, Ruddy River, 1934
