How to Pitch an Interactive Story to an App
Updated: Oct 9
An app needs to know what players will do, not only what happens to the characters. A pitch for interactive fiction should explain the audience promise, the protagonist's central problem, the choices that shape the experience, and what keeps readers returning.
Lead with the hook
Give the premise in a few sentences: who the player follows, what changes, and why the next decision is difficult. Then identify the genre and audience. A list of tropes without a specific conflict is not enough.
Show the interaction
Describe two or three meaningful choices and their consequences. Will players choose a relationship, strategy, identity, or ethical position? Explain how the story remembers decisions without promising hundreds of wholly separate endings you cannot produce.
Prove the season
Outline major reversals, the first chapters, and the emotional end point. Include a sample that demonstrates dialogue, choice clarity, and directing or implementation skill in the format the app uses. Check the platform's current submission rules before sending.
Talk business clearly
State whether the concept is original, whether another platform has rights, and what materials exist. Ask about ownership, credit, revisions, deadlines, and payment before agreeing to build a full season from an unpaid test.
Show one choice in the pitch
Consider a romance in which the player discovers that their closest friend has applied for the same job. A vague pitch says the story contains rivalry and meaningful choices. A useful pitch shows the decision: confront the friend, share information anyway, or quietly prepare a stronger application. Explain what the player understands before choosing and which later interaction remembers the decision.
Then distinguish the shared plot from the variation. Every player may attend the interview, while the friend's dialogue and willingness to help change. This demonstrates interaction without promising an entirely separate novel for every response. Include a short sample that makes the difference readable.
A producer should be able to see what they would commission next. End the package by identifying what already exists: an outline, sample chapters, implemented demo, or finished season. Say what work remains. Evidence of a manageable production is more persuasive than a long list of features that have not been designed.
Continue exploring this topic
A practical pitch check
Can someone describe the player's role after one read? Are the first choices concrete? Is the scope realistic? Is the rights position clear?
Viola Musaraj is a writer, novelist, micro and vertical drama producer, and interactive narrative designer with more than 140 million reads worldwide.
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