Start a brainstorm with Ando
Develop a character, a scene, a theme or a half-formed idea with Ando, and come back to it whenever you like.
A brainstorm is a conversation with Ando about an idea that isn't a story yet: a character, a scene, a theme or a half-formed thought. Ando asks questions, offers choices and sketches the story with you as you go. Ando outlines it with you, but doesn't write the chapters.
Start a brainstorm
- In the sidebar, under Brainstorms, select New brainstorm.
- In the box, describe your idea in a sentence or two, such as "A lighthouse keeper finds a letter addressed to her future self".
- If you like, choose how Ando thinks from the menu below the box: Swift, Balanced or Deep, which is included with Pro. Swift costs the fewest credits. To see how they differ, read Choose Swift, Balanced or Deep.
- Press Enter, or select the arrow button, to send it.
Each reply from Ando uses AI credits. Right after each reply, Storiando shows how many it used, such as "This used 1 credit". If you don't have enough credits, Storiando tells you before Ando starts, and nothing is charged.
Talk it through
Early on, Ando asks a few questions under Focus your story idea, one at a time. For each one, choose an option, write your own answer under Type your own answer…, or select Let Ando suggest. You can also skip them and tell Ando something else in the box at the bottom.
After that, keep talking in the box at the bottom whenever you want to add something, change a decision or go in another direction. If you'd rather Ando make the choices, say so, for example: "Go with what you think works best."
While Ando is answering, the arrow button becomes a stop button. Select it to stop the reply.
If Ando can't answer, Storiando says Ando couldn't answer. Your message stays in the conversation: select Try again to send it again.
Watch your blueprint take shape
As you decide things together, Ando sketches your story in a blueprint, and the conversation says what was added, such as "Premise and plot added to the blueprint".
Your blueprint, on the right, ticks off each part once it's complete: Premise and plot, Characters, Locations and Chapter outline. Select View blueprint to read it in full. On a phone, select Blueprint at the top of the brainstorm instead.
Nothing in the blueprint is final: you can change any decision in the conversation. If you're not sure what it still needs, select Ask Ando what is left. This uses AI credits.
Come back to it later
Storiando saves your brainstorm as soon as you send your first message, and keeps the whole conversation. Ando gives it a name from your idea, such as "A Letter to Her Future Self".
To pick up where you left off, select the brainstorm under Brainstorms in the sidebar, or select All brainstorms and then Continue on its card.
To rename it, put it away or remove it, select the … button beside its name, at the top of the brainstorm or on its card:
- Rename gives it a name that's easy to recognize later.
- Archive puts it away without losing anything. To talk to Ando in it again, open it and select Restore brainstorm.
- Delete removes it and its conversation from Storiando. This can't be undone.
If you can't start a new brainstorm
The Free and Creator plans keep a limited number of brainstorms in progress at once, and the Free plan keeps one. When yours is full, New brainstorm says so and offers to open the brainstorm you have, to archive it and start a new one, or to see the plans. Archived brainstorms and brainstorms that became stories don't count.
What happens next
When the blueprint has everything a story needs, Your blueprint says "Everything the story needs is here" and shows Create story. Ando gives the blueprint a last check first, which uses AI credits. Your story then starts with its characters, locations and chapter outline, ready for you to write. If your plan has no room for another story, the panel says so and shows See plans instead.
For the steps, read Turn a brainstorm into a story.
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