Questions, answered
What exactly do I get for $9.99?
One complete illustrated branching book: up to 20 sections, the endings you defined (up to 8), a cover, character portraits, and every section illustrated in your chosen style. You can read it online, share it by link, and download print-ready PDF and EPUB files. It stays in your library — there's no subscription.
How long does it take?
Typically 10–20 minutes of machine time end to end, split around your two review steps: the story map arrives in a couple of minutes, the full draft a few minutes after you approve the map, and illustrations render after you approve the draft. You can walk away — it saves its progress.
Do I control the story?
More than you'd expect. You set the premise, the audience, the tone, standing author notes the AI must obey, the named characters (with exact appearance), and the endings. Then you get two checkpoints — the branching map and the complete draft — where you can edit any text, regenerate any image with a note, or re-spin entirely before anything renders.
Is this the "Choose Your Own Adventure" brand?
No. "Choose Your Own Adventure" is a registered trademark of Chooseco LLC, and we're not affiliated with them. Stories You Shape makes original, personalized choose-your-path books in the same beloved format that interactive fiction has used for decades.
Who owns the book?
You do, for all personal use — read it, print it, gift it, share it. Your premise and inputs are yours. See the terms for details.
Is it safe for kids?
The books are written to the audience you specify, and our content policy prohibits harmful content outright. Accounts belong to adults; kids read the books, parents make them. We collect nothing about your children beyond what you choose to write in the story itself.
Can I make a series with the same characters?
Yes — after your first book you can save its cast as a series. Future books reuse the same character descriptions AND the same reference portraits, so faces stay identical from book to book.
What if I don't like the result?
First, use the free tools — rewrite any section with a note, regenerate any image, or re-spin the map before rendering. If you're still unhappy, email us within 14 days and we'll make it right or refund you. See the refund policy.
Can I print it as a real hardcover?
The PDF export is a 6×9 print interior (with a print variant that drops the cover page), sized for print-on-demand services like Lulu — upload the interior and cover and order a bound copy. We don't print books ourselves yet.
Something else? Email chadthomasgill@gmail.com — a person answers. Also see terms · privacy · refunds.