Introducing Plot Twist: A Collaborative Novel
New to Plot Twist? Start here! It's got all the information you need to join in the fun.
What if you could help decide what happens next in a story?
That’s exactly what we’re doing here.
Plot Twist is an interactive storytelling experiment — a serialized, choose-your-own-adventure-style novel where you vote, comment, and help shape the plot each week.
A new chapter drops every Thursday morning, and you’re invited to be part of the writers’ room.
📚 Where We Are So Far
We’re about 1/3 of the way through the novel, but don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to catch up, join in the fun, and help shape the story.
Table of Contents
Introduction to this project and how it works (this post! read below!)
The Character Names Are Chosen + the story behind the names!
Chapter 11: The Woman in the Woods + Vote on book’s title (coming October. 30)
Chapter 12: The Law of Blood + Book’s title chosen! (coming November 6)
🗓️ A new chapter released every Thursday morning.
🎬 How It Works
Here’s the simple version:
1️⃣ Read each chapter — A new installment goes live every Thursday.
2️⃣ Vote + comment — You have 7 days to weigh in on what happens next.
3️⃣ Watch your ideas appear — Reader decisions directly shape the next chapter.
It’s that easy. Creative chaos, community, and storytelling magic — every week.
💌 Who Gets to Participate
Short answer: You do.
Free subscribers can read, vote, and join the Plot Twist group chat.
Paid subscribers (Story Editors) get to comment directly, see behind-the-scenes drafts, and access exclusive “bonus scenes” — including the steamier ones 🔥.
Associate Producers get credited in the book, special updates, and a free Creative Life Blueprint course.
Everyone helps shape the story. Paid members just get to peek behind the curtain.
🌈 Why This Matters (and Why You’ll Love It)
We all need a place online that sparks joy, creativity, and community.
A space that doesn’t ignore the hard things — but trnsforms them through art.
That’s what Plot Twist is.
It’s full of diverse, messy, magical characters navigating power, politics, love, and revolution — a reflection of the world we live in, reimagined through story.
This project is part experiment, part escape, and part act of resistance.
When life gets overwhelming, I believe in one thing: put it into art.
That’s what we’re doing here — together.
🚀 How to Join
1️⃣ Subscribe below (it’s free!) to get each chapter in your inbox.
2️⃣ Turn on notifications in the Substack app so you never miss a poll.
3️⃣ Read, vote, comment, and have fun!
✨ Want more? Paid subscribers get behind-the-scenes access, exclusive scenes, and their name in the credits.
Because storytelling is better when it’s shared — and I can’t wait to create this world with you.
For Anyone Who Loved Choose Your Own Adventure Books
The Story Behind the Story
Did you ever read Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid? I absolutely loved them. It felt like I was part of the story, playing a role in how it unfolded.
But one thing always bothered me: I wanted to choose more than just the predetermined paths; I wanted to be a part of writing the story.
Recently, I played a game on my iPad called Wylde Flowers – a super LGBTQ friendly narrative about farming and secret witches – and I loved the way that I got to meander through the world picking and choosing what my character did and how she interacted with others.
Yet still, as much as I loved the game, I longed to be a more integral part of the narrative. I’m in a year-long course to learn about writing comedies for TV, and the stories of the collaborative writing rooms made me crave the kind of collective creativity that working on a project like a video game or TV gives you.
That longing for collaborative creativity sparked an idea in my head:
What if I wrote a novel with friends and strangers on the internet?!
Put It Into Art
I don’t need to tell you that things are grim out there for a lot of us. My heart breaks every time I sign into social media. I fear for myself and my community when I read the news.
But doomscrolling isn’t helping me. And I’m gonna guess it’s not helping you.
When creating my Substack Unscripted, especially this project Plot Twist, I asked myself these questions:
What if I created a space on the internet that doesn’t emotionally bypass the hate that’s out there, but also doesn’t feed into it by amplifying it?
What if I got a group of diverse people together and we wrote our feelings out in a fictional world full of joy, heartache, love, sex, fighting back, friendship, revolutions, power, hilarity, fashion, and fries with cheese?
What if I spent this year leaning into creativity and community instead of algorithms and virality?
When things get hard for me, I like to say “Put it into art.”
Plot Twist is my way to help us all take this really hard political time and put it into art.
I hope you’ll join me for it.
Looking forward to seeing how this story unfolds,
Lauren
*PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU COMMENT OR VOTE:
🧾 The Very Important Fine Print
By participating in Plot Twist, you understand that your comments, votes, and ideas are being shared as creative input for a book that will be written and owned by Lauren Marie Fleming.
The final work—published in ebook, print, audio, or any future format—will credit Lauren Marie Fleming as the sole author and copyright owner.
Contributors who engage frequently may be acknowledged as “Collaborators” in the book’s acknowledgments. This credit is honorary only.
No payment, royalties, or copyright ownership will be provided for participation. Submitting comments or votes constitutes agreement to these terms.
Ideas shared here may inspire derivative works or adaptations without further notice or compensation. Participation implies adherence to community guidelines and respectful discourse.
🌟 Ready to Join the Fun?
Subscribe below — it’s free to start!
🗳️ Vote. 💬 Comment. 🌙 Change your story.