The following is a general description of the guided narrative (GN) writing style and format.
Characteristics
Illusion of Choice: the reader is given a sense of control over the protagonist’s decisions by providing directions (choices, instructions) at various junctures. However, the narrative does not branch despite the illusion of choice, and the protagonist proceeds along a single path. The illusion of choice engages the reader like a participant in the story events.
Choices don’t alter the plot, but they do impact the character’s development and engage the reader with a sense of agency. An effective GN balances who is in control. If the protagonist is in charge, the narrative loses the illusion of interactivity, and the protagonist runs away with the tale. If the reader is in charge, directives become heavy-handed and in the way of the story’s flow.
Direct Reader Engagement: The story often addresses the reader directly, creating a pseudo-participatory experience.
- Specific instructions or choices are presented, and the protagonist reacts to these within the linear storyline. The reader has a sense of making choices for the protagonist, even if the narrative is predetermined.
- The protagonist might respond to the narrator, reader, or both—or even, as in a soliloquy, speak to no one in particular to speak to everyone at once.
Hobson’s Choices: The story proceeds in a linear fashion, regardless of the choices presented. Linear progression with directives maintains simplicity while giving the illusion of choice, engaging the reader without the narrative complexity of true branching paths.
Meta-narrative Elements: These stories frequently play with the concept of storytelling itself (metalepsis), often making the reader aware of their role in the narrative experience.
Mind-Bending Plots: The narrative may challenge the reader’s perceptions of reality, encouraging them to piece together clues or make sense of a fragmented storyline. For example, stories told:
- Out of chronological order.
- From multiple perspectives.
- By an unreliable narrator, forcing readers to interpret the truth.
Embedded Media: The story may integrate maps, newspaper clippings, letters, lyrics, diary entries, or other media to immerse the reader in the narrative.
Pseudo-Stateful: GN stories have no variables for inventory, health points, places visited, and the like. However, the narrative can simulate statefulness, such as by revisiting. For example:
> Wearing no hat, visiting the prisoner:
“You there, swabby,” he wakes with a startle, “fetch me some food.”
> Later, wearing the captain’s hat:
The sailor’s awake now, eying my tricorn. “Please, sir, stop that squawk. The parrot sounds powerful hungry.”
Personal Focus: Guided narrative are told in the first person for the protagonist, present tense. This is intended to give the reader cinematic immediacy, making the story world more immersive. As a result, the protagonists are gender-neutral.
Challenges
GN uses challenges to engage the reader and drive the narrative forward. In fact, a GN can be construed as overcoming a series of challenges.
The term “challenge” encompasses mental and physical barriers and acknowledges the reader’s active participation. The reader directs the protagonist through interactions to overcome challenges.
Examples
- Locate the key needed to unlock the exit door.
- Disguise yourself to uncover the spy’s secret.
- Use spectacle lenses to ignite a fire.
- Conceal the photo chip within your black hair.
- Unroll the rug to discover the hidden trapdoor.
- Deploy a wind-up toy to distract the guard.
- Mix the herbs to put the dragon to sleep.
- Use chewing gum to retrieve a key in a drain.
Categories
The following are categories of challenges, although one can expect overlap among them.
Allocation: manage limited resources. In “Eclipsed Manor,” Lady Blackwood allocates the inspector’s skills to remove the curse over a mysterious manor.
Behaviour: observe and act on subtle and overt behaviours. In “Blood Moon,” Mr. Round Hat and the bus lady observe Harkness’s behaviour to gauge what he knows and whether he will talk.
Context: act when a condition or state is met. In “Initiation Rite,” the protagonist’s actions depend on specific conditions or states, such as waiting until the wind is calm to climb a steep cliff safely.
Decoding: decipher an encrypted message. In “Phantom of Bryston,” the detective finds and must decipher cryptic notes, which provide insight into the thief’s motivation.
Dilemma: make a moral choice that affects the narrative. In “Art of the Possible,” the protagonist must navigate political ethics and personal integrity, rising from city council to national leader.
Dynamics: respond to change based on previous actions. In “The Helm,” characters react differently based on the protagonist’s inventory. The cook, initially uncooperative, is amenable once the protagonist has the captain’s hat.
Emotional: manage feelings in order to move forward. With little parental support, the protagonist in “Kid Clown” must grow up working through his confidence, which he later brings to others as a counsellor.
Interaction: guide or inspire other characters. In the “Amber Pendant,” the protagonist must pull a ruse on a wily merchant to secure a medical treasure.
Inventory: use information or items collected. In “Midnight Match,” the protagonist takes a brick holding open a door and later hefts it to deter a would-be mugger.
Manipulation: alter aspects of the environment. In “Last Commute,” the protagonist uses resources on hand to avoid detection, clean up the evidence, and attempt to ensure the safety of a peace summit.
Navigation: finding a path through various environments. In “Follow the Light,” the protagonist uses a tactile map to navigate a dark basement and subsequently locates the direction back by observing the migratory pattern of Canada geese.
Patterning: use reasoning to solve sequences. In “Lost Colony,” the astronaut must discern a code from the worn numbers on the keypad.
Permutation: try various combinations. In “Parables of Elián,” the protagonist calibrates the ship’s navigation instruments in the correct order to ensure safe passage.
Realism: use realistic elements in the story. In “Holmes’ Poultice,” the canonical challenge is to open a lock without a key, relying on the materials and knowledge available in the late 19th century.
Role-play: take on roles or character behaviours. In “Prime Navigators,” the protagonist tries on different roles associated with the choice of ship.
Sensory: perceive information to find patterns. In “Revolution Afoot,” the barefoot protagonist discovers a letter hidden under a carpet by feeling the differences.
Weaknesses
Directives give the reader a sense of agency and empowerment. However, unlike in interactive fiction, they do not give actual choices. Some readers might want more. There is also a risk of directives being more important than character development and story flow. These are challenges for the author to overcome. Suggestions follow.
1. Limited Interactivity
Problem: While the illusion of choice is engaging, some readers might find the lack of genuine interactivity (where choices affect the outcome) less satisfying.
Possibilities:
Reader Feedback Loop: Incorporate subtle feedback based on reader choices. This could be reflective inner thoughts of the protagonist responding to reader directions, making readers feel their input is acknowledged.
> Roll the ball to the puppy.
The pup draws back, spring-loading to pounce, it’s tail, a metronome of fur.
Balance Directive and Descriptive: While directives are central, balance them with vivid descriptions and internal monologues. This ensures the narrative remains rich and multi-dimensional.
An orchestra of frogs is tuning up for the evening. In the background, across the plains, the sky is awash in the lights of the city.
What was it you called the city? “A wolf in chic clothing.”
Utilize different types of directives to keep the narrative engaging:
• Instructional: Direct the protagonist to take action.
> Pick up the key.
It appears to be an answer in search of a question. It is best kept in my backpack in the event the lock presents itself.
• Exploratory: Encourage the protagonist to discover something.
> Examine the painting on the wall.
The eyes seem to follow me, as happens with any painting … but these really do. Someone is behind the wall.
• Reflective: Prompt the protagonist to consider thoughts or feelings.
> Recall what your mentor said.
My mentor said the sound of one hand clapping is the same as two because if it is one hand clapping, it is clapping. Ah! I need to slap the wall and listen for a hollow space.
2. Consistency and Flow
Problem: Given the directive nature, maintaining narrative flow can be challenging.
Possibility: Ensure the transitions between choices and the ongoing narrative remain seamless to prevent jarring shifts that might disrupt immersion.
3. Character Depth
Problem: Focusing on reader-directed actions can sometimes overshadow deep character development.
Possibility: Ensure that the protagonist’s personality is well-rounded and evolves in the story, independent of the reader’s directives. For example, increase the emotional stakes of the choices.
GN v. IF Walkthrough
While a guided narrative (GN) may share some superficial similarities with an interactive fiction (IF) walkthrough, its purpose and impact are fundamentally different.
1. Narrative Immersion
• GN: GN directives are crafted to enhance the reader’s immersion in the story. By addressing the reader directly and involving them in the protagonist’s decisions, the GN creates a sense of immediacy and engagement that a traditional narrative might lack.
• Walkthrough: A walkthrough is a practical guide designed to help players navigate a game. It focuses on providing solutions to puzzles and challenges, often without adding to the narrative experience.
2. Illusion of Choice
• GN: The illusion of choice in a GN is a deliberate narrative technique. It makes the reader feel like an active participant in the story, even though the plot remains linear. This engagement can deepen the reader’s emotional connection to the characters and events.
• Walkthrough: A walkthrough provides specific commands to achieve a desired outcome in a game. It does not aim to create an illusion of choice or enhance narrative immersion.
3. Character and Plot Development
• GN: Directives in a GN are integrated into the narrative, contributing to character development and plot progression. They are not just instructions but part of the storytelling fabric, revealing character motivations, emotions, and stakes.
• Walkthrough: A walkthrough focuses on gameplay mechanics and solving puzzles. It does not typically contribute to character development or plot progression in a meaningful way.
4. Reader Engagement
• GN: The directives in a GN engage the reader by making them feel responsible for the protagonist’s actions. This pseudo-participatory experience can make the story more compelling and memorable.
• Walkthrough: A walkthrough engages the player by providing solutions and guidance. Its primary goal is to assist in gameplay, not to enhance the narrative experience.
5. Purpose and Intent
• GN: The intent of a GN is to create a unique reading experience that blends the linearity of traditional storytelling with the engagement of interactive fiction. It aims to immerse the reader in the story world and make them feel like a co-author.
• Walkthrough: The purpose of a walkthrough is to help players overcome challenges and progress in a game. It is a functional tool rather than a narrative device.
While a GN and an IF walkthrough may involve directives or instructions, their purposes and impacts are fundamentally different. A GN uses directives to enhance narrative immersion, character development, and reader engagement, creating a unique and compelling storytelling experience. In contrast, a walkthrough is a practical guide focused on solving gameplay challenges. The directives in a GN are integral to the story, adding depth and engagement that go beyond mere instructions.
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