What is a branching narrative?

A branching narrative is a story that splits into different paths based on reader or player choices, so no two playthroughs have to be the same. Rather than one fixed sequence of events, the writer builds a map of nodes (scenes) connected by choices, where each decision leads somewhere different. Branches can diverge permanently, reconnect at key moments (a technique often called merging or the diamond), or loop. It is the backbone of choose your own adventure books, most narrative video games, and interactive fiction. The trade-off is workload: every branch is content someone has to write, so most authors reuse merge points to keep the tree from exploding. You can sketch a branching narrative visually in the Visual Builder.