What we learned writing a 2000+ page branching psychological thriller in second person — where every decision shapes the world

Hi all,

I wanted to share a bit of our experience after several years of writing and testing a long-form psychological survival story told in second person.

It’s built around a post-apocalyptic world where the reader plays the main role and makes choices that affect relationships, outcomes, and even the protagonist’s physical and emotional condition.
No stats, no dice — just layered consequences and evolving character identity.

We ended up writing over 2,000 pages of branching narrative — full of moral dilemmas, social dynamics, and ambiguous choices that leave the reader wondering whether they’ve done the right thing (or what that even means).

The hardest part?
Writing a consistent character arc… for a protagonist the reader controls. It made us think a lot about agency, emotional pacing, and what makes a “choice” feel meaningful in fiction.

I’d love to know:
Have any of you tried non-linear or interactive writing?
How do you approach building tension when the reader decides the direction?

Happy to swap thoughts or share our process if anyone’s curious.