Choose Your Own Adventure

I am shocked that I haven’t thought about doing a blog on this sooner, but it wasn’t until a few days ago I started thinking about multiple ending narratives. I personally love the idea of one major story / plot that can have many different and unique endings. And you see this kind of story in many forms of media. From video games that have many different endings based on you performance and your actions in the game. To choose your own adventure books, that base your ending by what steps you take to get to that ending.  So why do I love choose your own adventure books so much? I love them for one major reason, the immersion.

When you get the choice to pick how the story ends is great. It makes the viewer really feel like their actions matter to the world you have put them in which is a great way to immerse your audience in the world that you have created. The idea of multiple choice endings also can make your viewer think about their own morals and can also create and attachment for the character in this world that you have created.

But there is a problem with multiple choice endings. The problem comes with having too many or too little. Having to little isn’t that big of a deal. Now in some stories you can get away with two or three endings and be fine, but it nice to have a few more options. Now the real problem is having too many. 

You see if you have too many ending it can be hurtful to both you and your viewer. For you it can suck to write and create all of that but for your viewer it may overload the viewer on how to get the ending they want.

So I personally love the idea of multiple choice endings because of how it can immerse your viewer. But do be careful about how many endings you put in.