How to Write Dual POV, X-Reader, Roleplay, and More

"Can I do [this specific thing] on RedQuill?" The answer is almost always yes. Here's how to set up the most-requested story types.

X-Reader / Second Person Stories

The most popular format on RedQuill. The reader is a character in the story.

Setup:

1. In the Options tab, set Perspective to Second Person
2. In your prompt, use "you" to refer to the reader character
3. If you want a specific reader identity, describe it: "You're a 25-year-old grad student with anxiety and a sharp sense of humor"

Optional: Create a character component for "you" with traits you want the AI to maintain. This keeps your reader-insert consistent across chapters.

Pro tip: In the Options tab, enable the "self" character option. This lets you define who "you" is in the story with a name and description the AI uses.

Dual POV / Alternating Perspectives

Two characters. Two viewpoints. Alternating chapters.

Setup:

1. Create both characters as detailed components
2. Set Perspective to Third Person
3. In your continue prompts, specify whose POV each chapter follows: "Write this chapter from Maren's perspective. Show how she experienced the argument from last chapter."

Pro tip: Put a note in Notes for AI: "This story alternates POV between [Character A] and [Character B] each chapter. Only show the internal thoughts of the POV character." This keeps the AI from slipping into omniscient narration.

Set Up a Fanfiction Story

RedQuill works great for fanfic. The AI knows most popular fandoms.

Setup:

1. Mention the fandom or source material in your prompt: "A story set in the world of [fandom]"
2. Create characters with descriptions that match canon (or your headcanon). Don't just use names. The AI does better with explicit descriptions even for well-known characters
3. Use the Trope component type for fanfic dynamics: "Enemies to lovers," "What if [canon event] went differently"

Good to know: The more specific your character descriptions, the less the AI defaults to generic interpretations. If you want a specific version of a character, describe that version. See the Lorebook guide for tips on writing detailed entries.

Roleplay-Style / Chat Format

Back-and-forth dialogue between characters, almost like a chat log.

Two options:

Option A: Roleplay Mode (Beta) Open your story and launch Roleplay from the menu. Choose who you're playing and who you're chatting with. This gives you a real-time chat interface where you type in character and the AI responds in character. Each message costs 2 quills.

Note: Roleplay mode is separate from your story. Nothing from the roleplay saves to the story itself. It's great for exploring character dynamics or having fun, but it won't affect your chapters.

Option B: Story-based roleplay Write your story in a dialogue-heavy style. Use a Writing Style component:

Write almost entirely in dialogue. Minimal narration. Actions described in short beats between lines. Format like a script or chat log. Each character has a distinct voice.

Then in your continue prompts, specify the back-and-forth you want.

Alternate Paths / Choose Your Own Adventure

This is what story forking was built for.

How to use it:

1. Write your story to a decision point
2. Fork the story to create a copy
3. Continue the original with one choice, the fork with another
4. You now have two parallel storylines from the same starting point

You can fork at any chapter, as many times as you want. Some users build entire branching narratives this way.

Quick Setup Table

Story Type	Perspective	Key Setup
X-Reader	Second Person	Use "you" in prompts, optionally create a self character
Dual POV	Third Person	Specify POV character in each chapter prompt
Fanfiction	Any	Create character components with specific descriptions
Roleplay (chat)	Any	Use Roleplay mode, or use dialogue-heavy Writing Style component
Branching / CYOA	Any	Fork your story at decision points
Slow burn	Any	Writing Style component focused on tension and restraint

If You Can Describe It, RedQuill Can Write It

If you can describe it in a prompt, RedQuill can write it. The key is always the same: be specific about the format, perspective, and character dynamics you want. The AI doesn't assume. It follows what you give it.