2026 Story Oracle FAQ

You can expect to take between 8-15 minutes from start to finish.

You get to play twice with each donation you make. 

If you haven’t already, you’ll want to go to this donation page to get started! There is a minimum donation of $5 to play the game. You get to play twice with each donation you make. 

If you already made a donation, you should have received an email with your two game codes. If it’s not there, or you still need help, then email us at .

Check your email! Sometimes emails get lost in promotions, spam, or other filters. If it’s still not there, then email us at

Nope! The Oracle loves their secrets.

The Underground Magazine Stand is a bonus room you encounter mid-game. In it you get to choose one of five free-to-read online stories pulled from a list curated by Clarion West board members and staff. Whichever story you click on will open in a new tab so that you can keep playing Story Oracle without interruption. 

The Story Oracle game narrative contains elements of horror and language that may be inappropriate for some audiences. Some of the books recommended have mature themes. Clarion West has not added content notes or warnings. We encourage all players to review book recommendations on their own terms.

The Story Oracle is a game developed by Clarion West alumni, board members, and volunteers. Books were recommended by Clarion West instructors and friends of the organization. You can see our full credits page here.

The story oracle will run from June 21 to August 1 — please share your results with friends and family, let us know if you enjoyed your reading recommendations, and play as many times as you like!

Donations made through the Story Oracle support Clarion West’s general operations.

Clarion West is a nonprofit literary organization that supports emerging and underrepresented writers with world-class instruction and opportunities for connection. 

We run the acclaimed six-week workshop every summer, a nine-month novel writing workshop, online and in-person classes, a library of on-demand classes, public readings and panels, and other events throughout the year. Find out more. 

Yes! Clarion West is a nonprofit educational organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Federal EIN 91-1352168). Clarion West sends an automatic email receipt for all donations that can be used as a tax receipt in the U.S.

Your discount code will be sent to you with your welcome email and a reminder will be placed in your game completion email — along with your list of book recommendations! Use your code when checking out of the Bookshop.org online store. You can only use your code for the books recommended from the Story Oracle.

Clarion West is putting Write-a-thon on hiatus for a while. Story Oracle is our new summer fundraiser and we hope it will engage readers and writers alike. As for Write-a-thon’s eventual return, we have high hopes and far-reaching plans. We’ll keep you posted.