A traditional narrative structure has a storyteller/narrator and a listener/reader. This type of storytelling has a set of rules that I would argue are essential to maintaining the integrity of the structure. The narrator has complete control over the story, and the reader is completely helpless, devoid of free will.
Lack of control is essential in traditional storytelling and fictional novels. I say this while considering the alternative of giving the reader entire control. Given complete reins over the course of the story, the reader (which I now consider naming “player” in this context) has the option of doing nothing. For them, this may achieve the goal they are aiming for personally, but this action (or lack of) does nothing to push the narrative forward.
