01
Start in the IFFY studio
Open Iffy in your browser. Everything, writing, branching, and publishing, happens right inside the studio.
Creator Jam
Upcoming
Starts June 26
Heartlines Jam
The $2,500 Love Story: can you write a romance the reader can't put down?
Required: read this first
Every love story is built around the theme.
The theme is public now, but writing opens June 26 at noon PT, the official start line. Build your story in the IFFY studio (anything started earlier won't count), and use the time now to dream up your couple, how they meet, and the choices that pull them together or apart.
How to enter
Write it, branch it, ship it.
Build your love story in the IFFY studio, publish to RUN before submissions close, and you're in. No forms, no fuss.
02
Build a branching romance with real agency
Roughly 3 to 5 minutes of reading and play. Give the reader distinct, diverging options to chase the connection or let it cool, whether your couple ends up together is in the audience's hands.
03
Publish to RUN
Share your story to RUN before July 7 at noon PT and you land on the board automatically. Publish early; you can keep refining all jam.
About
A love story where your reader decides who falls for whom.
Every great romance lives or dies on one question: will they or won't they? But why should the author get to call it? It's time to hand your readers the choices and let them write the love story themselves.
We're challenging you to ditch the linear script and build a branching romance. Your mission: use the IFFY studio to craft an unforgettable, totally original love story with a "playtime" of roughly 5 minutes, where your main character meets someone and the reader decides how the spark plays out.
Will the two of them find their way to each other, or watch the moment slip away? Force your audience into the agonizing decisions that shape the romance, and how the whole thing ends!
Prizes
$2,500 on the line
1st place
$1,000
2nd place
$600
3rd place
$400
4th – 5th place
$100 each
Editor's Pick
$300
Theme & rules
What counts as an entry
- To enter: build your interactive romance episode in the IFFY studio and publish it to RUN before July 7 at noon PT. Every published episode is entered automatically, with no separate submission form.
- Inside the studio: your project must be drafted and built from start to finish inside the IFFY studio.
- The quick spark: your romance must be punchy and engaging, with an active reading and play time of 3 to 5 minutes.
- The reader's call: true agency is key. The reader must be given distinct, diverging options. Whether your couple ends up together or drifts apart is entirely in the audience's hands.
- All original: your narrative must be 100% original. We want fresh couples, new sparks, and turns no one sees coming. No clones, no copyrighted character names or art.
- Solo or team, no team-size cap, but every team member must be credited.
- Submissions close Tuesday July 7 at noon PT. Late means disqualified.
- Scoring: winners are decided entirely by community votes cast during the voting window (July 7 at noon PT through July 8 at noon PT), not by plays or views. Every published, on-theme entry is eligible and measured over the same window, so publishing earlier or later doesn't help or hurt your standing. Publish early anyway: you can keep updating your story until submissions close, and early feedback makes a better entry. The Editor's Pick is chosen by the RUN team, and winners are announced live after voting closes.
Schedule
Milestones
June 17
Theme reveal
The theme is public. Find collaborators in #heartlines on Discord and start dreaming up your couple before the clock starts.
June 26 · 12:00 PT
Writing opens
Writing officially opens in the IFFY studio. The love story is yours to write.
June 26 – July 7
The jam
Eleven days to write, branch, and ship your romance. Drop-in office hours all week.
July 7 · 12:00 PT
Pencils down
Submissions close. Anything published after this won't count.
July 7 – July 8
Community voting
Read the entries and vote for your favorites. Winners, the top five by community votes plus the Editor's Pick, are announced live after voting closes July 8 at noon PT.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Heartlines Jam free to enter?
Yes. Heartlines Jam is a free interactive romance jam on RUN. Anyone can join, build a branching love story, and compete for the $2,500 prize pool.
What are the prizes for Heartlines Jam?
Heartlines Jam has a $2,500 prize pool. 1st place: $1,000, 2nd place: $600, 3rd place: $400, 4th – 5th place: $100 each, Editor's Pick: $300.
How do I enter Heartlines Jam?
Build your interactive romance in the IFFY studio and publish it to RUN before July 7 at noon PT. Every published episode is entered automatically, with no separate submission form.
When does Heartlines Jam run, and how are winners chosen?
Heartlines Jam runs June 26 to July 7. Winners are decided entirely by community votes, not plays or views.