From Idea to a 12-Scene Story — the Full Guide

Page 47 supports stories from 4 to 12 scenes. 4 is the minimum (setup → branch → climax → finale). 12 is the maximum to avoid losing pace. Sweet spots lie in between, and choosing length is a tactical decision that shapes the whole experience.

This guide walks through every stage of working with a story — from first prompt to wrap — and explains what decisions to make where.

Stage 1: the idea (0-30 seconds)

Don't overthink past 30 seconds. Your first idea usually beats the fifth. Keep it short — 5 to 30 words. Too-long ideas get literal treatment from AI and lose creative room. Too-short ("fantasy about a mage") produce average plots.

The base structure of a good idea: subject + twist or context. "A port translator who translates for a dragon." "An alchemy apprentice ordered the wrong ingredient by mistake." "A detective receiving a letter sealed with his own seal that he's never used."

Stage 2: settings (another 30 seconds)

Open the details panel (🪄 icon under the composer). Three core parameters: genre, tone, era. They shift results a lot — the same prompt with "light" tone vs "grim" produces two different stories.

Combinations that work: classic fantasy = "fantasy + medieval + neutral". Cozy mystery = "detective + Victorian + light". Space opera = "sci-fi + far future + neutral". Literary fiction = "literary + modern + dark" (dark here means meditative, not grim).

Stage 3: scenes 1-3 (setup)

The first three scenes are exposition. AI unfolds the world, introduces the protagonist, establishes stakes. Your choices shape direction here but don't decide the ending yet. The worst mistake is making radical choices this early hoping to "spin it up quickly". AI loses pace.

A good choice on scenes 1-3 is narrowing. "What's the protagonist's motive?" You pick. "Who does she meet first?" You pick. AI remembers these decisions and builds on them.

Stage 4: middle (scenes 4-7)

Middle is development. AI should complicate the situation, introduce new characters or circumstances. The danger here is sagging — "one more scene, and another, and nothing changed". Your anti-sag tool is the "✏️ Custom action" button. If all three offered choices look equally passive, write your own that actually raises the stakes.

On scenes 6-7 you need to make THE KEY CHOICE — the one that determines the finale's direction. Often a moral dilemma: save or leave, trust or verify, advance or retreat. AI remembers this choice until the end, and the finale depends on it.

Stage 5: climax (scenes 8-10)

Climax is maximum pressure on the protagonist. AI should converge every thread to one point. If the story isn't landing or you feel pacing has sagged — hit "🎬 Finish story" on any scene after 4. AI writes a finale that accounts for what's already happened.

Not all stories need to reach scene 12. A 6-scene story can beat a 12-scene one if you feel everything's been said. Quality > length.

Stage 6: finale (last scene)

The finale is written with a special prompt — "give closure, don't defer to choice". But its quality depends on all previous picks. If on scene 6 you chose a radical action, the finale lands accordingly. If you've been picking gentle options everywhere — the finale is gentle.

After the finale the story flips to "completed" and becomes public (enters /feed). You can grab its URL and send it to a friend. You can start a new one from the same idea — the finale will be different.

Common pitfalls

• Too radical choices on early scenes — AI loses pace and the story falls apart.
• Passive choices everywhere — tension drains, the ending becomes predictable.
• Ignoring the "Custom action" button — you're stuck with three offered options. Write your own.
• Trying to stuff too much into the story — 12 scenes ≠ full world reveal. Stay on one line.
• Dragging to scene 12 on principle. If it's all said — finish. Length doesn't add value.

Optimal length by genre

• Horror: 4-6 scenes. Longer — suspense drains.
• Detective: 6-8. Need time for clues and branches, not so long that the reader forgets scene one.
• Fantasy / sci-fi: 8-12. The world needs to unfold, the quest to play out.
• Romance: 6-8. Emotional dynamics need time but not drag.
• Literary: 4-6. The genre is about moment, not duration.

Closing

A good interactive story doesn't appear "on its own" — AI provides infrastructure, your choices give direction. The more attentive you are to each decision, the better the story. But it's not homework — it's a game. Do the first one lightly, see what came out, refine the second. By the third or fourth you'll know what works for you.