Scoring
Storytelling is both an art and a craft. And while the best stories often break the rules in brilliant ways, they do so with intention. There's a kind of magic to great writing—something ineffable that transcends structure and convention. That magic is real. But it's not something AI is designed to understand, let alone replicate.
At Story Stream, we don't attempt to make artistic judgments about your work. We don't claim to know whether your story is "good" or "bad"—because even humans can't agree on that. Art is subjective. Our job is not to assess your artistic vision, but to help you understand how your story aligns with—or diverges from—established patterns, expectations, and conventions.
What we do is measure.
We've built a system grounded in writing wisdom and driven by expert editorial insight, focused on measurable qualities of storytelling. While not everything about a story can be quantified, much of the craft can. For example:
- Thrillers often begin in the middle of intense action. That's measurable.
- Romance novels frequently end with a "happily ever after" (HEA) or at least a "happy for now." That's measurable too.
- Fantasy novels often include immersive world-building, where the setting, lore, and rules of the world meaningfully support the story's theme and tone. That's measurable too.
If your romance ends in heartbreak or your thriller opens with a 27-page walk through a quiet forest, that's absolutely your creative choice. We're not here to tell you it doesn't work. But we will let you know that those choices diverge from genre expectations. That divergence might be exactly what you intended—a brilliant subversion! Or it might be unintentional. Either way, knowing where you stand helps you make informed decisions.
Understanding the Scores
When our analysis identifies specific metrics, we often assign a score—High, Medium, or Low—to indicate the degree of alignment or divergence from common patterns observed in successful books within your genre. Here's what those scores generally mean:
| Level | Indicator | General Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Well-Crafted | This element aligns closely with widely observed patterns, conventions, or expectations across similar works. It demonstrates a high level of craft in a way that suggests strong alignment with genre norms or narrative intent, and likely requires little or no revision. | |
| Consider revision | This element performs moderately well against expected patterns, but there may be inconsistencies, missed opportunities, or areas that could benefit from refinement. It’s worth reviewing to ensure it supports your story’s goals. | |
| Revision recommended | This element diverges from genre norms or best practices in storytelling structure. It may be unclear, inconsistent, or lacking key components, and might benefit from focused revision and deeper consideration. Important note: Deviation doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong—it may simply reflect a creative choice that goes against common editorial wisdom. |
Remember, these scores are descriptive, not prescriptive. A 'Working well' score isn't necessarily 'perfect,' and a 'Recommend revising' score isn't automatically 'bad.' They are data points to help you understand your manuscript in the context of the broader market and genre landscape.
Summary
Our system looks at over 600 specific elements across core aspects of storytelling—like pacing, plot, theme, dialogue, character development, world-building, and many more. These measurements offer a clear, structured view of your manuscript, similar to the lens a developmental editor might use when reviewing your work.
Think of Story Stream not as a judge, but as a compass. We show you where your story stands in the wider literary landscape—so you can choose your path with confidence, whether that means following the map or blazing your own trail.