Relay Novel
Relay Novel is a story-writing game for 2–100 players that takes about 15 minutes. Everyone adds pages to the stories at once, then votes without knowing who wrote what. Free in your browser.
Relay Novel in 30 seconds
- Set upThere are as many stories (books) as players. Each player titles one book and writes its first page.
- Take turnsEach round the books move to someone else, and everyone adds the next page at the same time.
- EndWhen the books reach the set number of pages, everyone votes for a favourite with the writers hidden.
- WinThe highest total of (pages you wrote × that book's votes) wins.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–100 players |
| Play time | About 15 min |
| Type | Talking |
| Ranked play | No |
| Practice against the CPU | No |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-09-19 |
How to play Relay Novel online with friends
- Tap "Play with friends"A party is created with a 6-character code. No account is needed.
- Send a link or QR codeShare it on LINE, or just read the code aloud.
- Everyone opens it in a browserOnce 2–100 players have joined, the host taps "Start".
Rule highlights
Setup, play, winning, and house rules
Setup
- For 2 to 100 players, each on their own phone or computer.
- There are as many stories (books) as players. The total number of pages (8 by default) is also the number of rounds.
- Before the start, the host can choose the total pages, time limit, pass order and what writers can see. Everyone can see the settings.
How to play
- In round 1, everyone writes the title (up to 30 characters) and the first page (up to 200 characters) of their own book.
- From round 2, the books are handed to someone else according to the pass order, and everyone adds the next page (up to 200 characters) at the same time. Line breaks are allowed.
- Depending on the setting, a writer sees only the previous page (the default) or every page so far. Nobody can see who is writing which book.
- Press Done when you have finished. You can rewrite it until the round moves on.
- When everyone has finished, or the time limit (180 seconds by default) has passed, the host presses Next to start the next round. When time runs out, what you had written is submitted as it is, and pages nobody wrote stay blank.
Winning
- When every page is written, everyone reads all the books and votes for one. You may vote for a book you helped write, and you can change your vote until voting closes.
- With at least one vote, the host can press Close voting. If anyone is still voting, press again to close voting. Anyone who has not voted can no longer vote after voting closes. Only then is the writer of each page revealed.
- Your score is the sum, over all books, of (pages you wrote in that book × that book's votes). Blank pages do not count. The highest score wins.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total pages | The number of pages in each book. There is one round per page. | 8 pages | Can be changed |
| Time limit | Time to write one page each round. When it runs out, what you had written is submitted as it is. | 180 seconds | Can be changed |
| Pass order | How the books move from round 2. With Random, nobody writes the same book twice in a row; with Random with repeats, they sometimes do. | In order | Can be changed |
| What you can see | How much of the story a writer sees. Only the previous page tends to give more surprising turns. | Only the previous page | Can be changed |
Recommendations
Play this game once to write one.
Send feedback or a bug about this game
Request a setting for this game
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FAQ
How many can play?
2 to 100 players, each on their own phone or computer.
Can we play online?
Yes. Send the party link and play on a call with people far away, or together in the same room.
Is it free?
Yes. It is free and runs in your browser with no sign-up.
Any tips for a good story?
Accept what the previous page says, then add just one new event. Instead of ending the story on your page, end it in a way the next writer will want to pick up.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. No app is needed — just open it in a browser. You can join the same party as people on a PC or tablet.
Can two people play?
Yes. This game supports 2 or more players.
Rights holder and physical edition
This is a public-domain classic game. The rules follow the standard reference rules.
Related games
Same type (Talking)
Same player count
Last updated 2026-09-19 · Run by Qdan, Inc.