Why I built this

Hi — thanks for being curious enough to click this link.

This little app started as a learning project. I wanted to explore something called vibe coding — a new way of building software where, instead of writing code line-by-line, you describe what you want in plain language and an AI writes it with you.

I built Story Spine on Vercel, one of the platforms leading the way in this space. No CS degree, no terminal incantations — just a conversation, a few iterations, and a working app.

Why a story game?

I love improv. The Story Spine is one of the oldest, simplest, most beautiful structures in storytelling: a framework that guides you through the arc of a narrative, building something surprising and complete.

Story Spine is a love letter to improvisers — and to anyone who's ever been afraid to make something. It's a playful gift, built in the spirit of "yes, and."

Why a paid tier exists

Honestly? I wanted to see if I could build one. This whole project was an exploration — a play in the sandbox — and setting up payments felt like the final boss level of vibe coding.

Every story you finish gets its own AI-generated image. Those images cost real money to make — small amounts, but they add up. The paid tiers help keep the lights on (and the ostrich fed).

If you just want to play for free forever, that's wonderful too. Truly. That's what the free tier is for. But hey, who knows — maybe this curious ostrich will become a unicorn one day.

That's it, really

Make a story. Share it with someone. Show a friend what vibe coding looks like. That's the whole pitch.

— with care, the vibe coder