Hmm, I'll try breaking this up to cover segments of your post, let us see how that goes.
Perfection
Good luck with perfection on the 'first time around'. There are few professional authors that manage to write something just as they want the first go, drafting, proofreading, and editing are all invaluable in polishing writing. But, I suppose that as it is doable, having definitely heard that people have written considerable stories without editing in like 48 hours or whatever.
HOWEVER, branching narratives do certainly contain normal writing elements, but the whole thing with choices and paths (regardless of how you choose to handle it) will impact the process. You are not writing a linear story after all, and this provides challenges.
As such, I hope that I misunderstood what you meant by "I like to get things right the first time around", in that I hope you meant you want to get your first storygame done right, rather than I want to write it perfectly first go.
Proofreading
Just catching mistakes is extremely beneficial, so I do not suggest skimping out on this process. If you go further and actually make bigger changes too, and then repeat till you're happy, you can turn an ok story into a great one, but obviously this can be very time intensive. As such I'd say at least proofread once before publishing, but find what you prefer.
Little nice article which can be helpful.
Planning
Finding the planning method which works for you is also a great thing, which can be very beneficial. Consider if you lean towards discovery or architect, that is, just come up with things as you write, or plan things out. This tends to be a mixture, so I do recommend experimenting and finding what works best for you.
I will mention that due to the branching nature of storygames, planning things tends to be what most people lean towards (from what I gather).
Writing Method [Branching Stories]
Here is a nice link regarding styles for branching narratives, I think it can be a good idea to give some thought to how you plan on having your story branch, as this can help guide your writing.
The use of variables and on page scripting is something that wouldn't be coming up in Time Cave stories, as if there isn't more ways to reach a page, there is nothing to track. Granted, you may have branches merge and not track anything, but this can make choices feel meaningless, and given that basic variable tracking & on page text altering isn't too hard to learn, I'd say you shouldn't be afraid of it (as while there can be a good deal of complexity, if you stick to the simpler stuff, it can be left completely untouched).
I will add that I bring this up because people sometimes try doing things through cloning of pages, and this can be very tedious in certain cases, and it can be easily avoided through just a little variable usage. But enough of this, I was supposed to only mention styles of branching to give you something to think about during planning.
Keep in Mind, Add, Avoid, and Do.
Keep in Mind
Keep in mind:
- that writing can be very open and free, so just give some thought to things you do, especially if they go against the norm. Regardless, it is your story in the end, so you can do what you want.
- that people generally don't expect much, most people here are just hobbyists after all, and clear effort tends to matter more than perfect prose/punctuation (not to say that that wouldn't be appreciated tho).
- that more specific feedback/thoughts can be gotten on unfinished works in these forums, so feel free to visit again.
- that very few people seem to know how to punctuate dialogue correctly, but as I do not know if you do or not, I'll just drop this nice little link here and tell you to look at it if you wish to join the exclusive club (if you are not in it already). Oh, do keep in mind that this also means that a good deal of people might not notice if you do it wrong, but I do still like to bring it up.
- that, in regards to planning, you do still want to start writing at some stage. World building/planning can be enjoyable, but if your goal is to write a storygame, you will have to write eventually.
- that there is generally no deadline, so don't rush, but also try not to procrastinate, as both can negatively impact the final work.
- that keeping things backed up offsite is a good idea, and do be careful when saving pages as sometimes the site might hiccup and you'll lose what you wrote (so at least copy it to the clipboard before pressing save).
- that, finally, writing offsite can also be considered, as again, you want to find what works for you.
Add
Whatever you like, it is your story. Having some sort of conflict/contrast tends to be required for a story, but really, you just want to keep readers engaged in some way for whatever reason. With that said, a story doesn't have to be for everyone, but I imagine you do want at least some people to engage with whatever you are writing.
Themes/Morals
Maybe I should've put this under something to keep in mind, but figured I should mention it somewhere.
Anyway, it can be helpful to have an idea on what sort of themes you want to explore with your story, or if there are morals for the reader to take away after reading. With branching fiction you can do some nifty things, like exploring certain viewpoints down certain paths, thus covering more than one potential viewpoint. Themes can also help guide your story, to keep it focused and the like.
However, writing something that is just cool/fun is also perfectly fine, after all, there is nothing wrong with entertainment. I have started trying to bring this up a bit more often because I think it can get overlooked by some people who may have otherwise enjoyed the added layer it brings to the table.
I think it is at least worth being given a thought, since while grander themes may not play a role in the story you want to tell, they likewise might, and if they do, I think they can be pretty great and helpful (both for the reading experience and in the writing process).
Avoid
Cliches.
Granted, while part of the definition for cliches is that they are overused, I will add that I am of the group who believe that cliches can be used well, but I guess it is ultimately about how you handle it.
Just be careful with cliches because they are cliche for a reason, and while using them may not be inherently bad, it is easy for them to detract from the experience if handled poorly.
Oh, I guess you should also avoid plagiarism, but I think this one tends to go without saying. However, to mix this section up a bit, I will add that inspiration or covering similar ideas is perfectly fine, but do avoid copying.
Do
Find what works for you. Writing can have so much going into it, but you can also just sit down and fart something out. Ultimately, I'd say you want to do what you want to do, so do it.
Alternatively, also:
- do proofread prior to publishing!
- do actually write (mentioning this again because it is a step a good deal of people tend to try and avoid [me included lol]).
Beta vs. Complete Work
Definitely complete, demos or betas shouldn't be published if they cannot stand on their own, but ignoring this, they are heavily discouraged.
However, you may have a reason that you want to write a beta or demo, and in this case you should utilize the sneak preview feature, which allows you to make non-published stories visible. You simply tick a box under story properties (as I recall), and then people can access your storygame by putting the story name after this: http://chooseyourstory.com/story/
All without it being published!
This is a good way to also share the story to get feedback prior to it being finished. Oh, the story will also be displayed without a hyperlink on your profile if it is on sneak preview.
Dead Man Walking
I eagerly await BerkaZerka's advice.
Although, I must say, why would his advice be particularly helpful? I mean, I suppose he has a great storygame under his belt, published and all, among other accomplishments, but if you just want people who've proven themselves, you have a larger selection than just one to ask.
Alternatively, if it is because the story is inspired by his, then why not ask some more specific question that is more relevant to the story? Something only Berka could really help you with?
Or, perhaps... you simply want acknowledgment from one you admire?
Regardless of what it is, citing a work such as that as inspiration should push you to put in a good deal of effort, lest you sully Berka's work with a crude imitation, or arguably worse, failure.
Conclusion / TL;DR
Best of luck with this, I think I covered a lot of the general things (which I've had heaps of chances to mention elsewhere already), so I do hope there is something worthwhile for you in the above, as it has been filtered a number of times.
Anyhow, I'll leave you with a final piece of advice.
Write!
P.S. If there is anything I got wrong or that doesn't make sense, do tell me, so I can try and remedy that. I feel I should start adding images to these... but maybe I should try more things with the writing first.
