Craft
Branch shapes that work
Hubs, bottlenecks, gauntlets and secret paths.
On this page
Most stories are built from a small number of shapes. Knowing them helps you decide how much writing a story will cost before you start, and which shape fits the story you want to tell. The story graph shows how to read a map. This page is about choosing one.
The time cave#
Every choice leads to something new, and no paths ever meet again.
Every reader gets a completely different story, which feels generous. The price is that you write every path from scratch, and the count doubles with each level. Use it for very short stories, or for one small section of a larger one.
Branch and bottleneck#
Paths split, then meet at a scene every reader passes through, then split again. This is the workhorse of interactive fiction, and it is what most Wyoot stories do.
The danger is that the bottleneck erases the difference between the routes, so the first choice stops mattering. Carry the difference forward. Have Route A pick something up, or have the reader's choice change how a character feels, then let the bridge scene and the ending react to it. That is what remembered values are for.
The gauntlet#
A single spine of scenes with an exit off the side at each one. Every choice is a test. Pass and you continue, fail and the story ends.
It is cheap to write and tense to read. It works best for thrillers and escapes. It has little replay value on its own, so give the failures different flavors, and add a secret route or two.
Hub and spokes#
One central scene the reader keeps coming back to. Each spoke is a place to explore, in any order, and the hub eventually offers a way out. See the diagram in The story graph.
It suits mysteries and investigations. Once your story can remember things, you can hide the way out until the reader has seen enough, using story history or a value.
The secret path#
A secret ending sits off the main route and is reached by a choice that looks wrong the first time. It rewards attention and replay. See Endings for what makes one work.
Choosing a shape#
| If you want | Reach for |
|---|---|
| A short story with a few dramatically different outcomes | The time cave |
| A longer story that stays affordable to write | Branch and bottleneck |
| Tension, and a clear pass or fail | The gauntlet |
| Exploration and a slow reveal | Hub and spokes |
| Something to find on a second read | A secret path |
Most real stories mix them. A gauntlet with a hub in the middle, or a bottleneck story with a secret path, is normal.
Next#
Shapes put scenes in the reader's path from several directions. Scenes readers reach from several routes covers how to write those.