Allen Zadoff, award-winning author and AI creative, sitting on stairs, holding and reading a colorful book titled "The Donut Prince of New York," wearing a brown jacket, green pants, black shoes, and a brown cap, smiling at the camera.

Hi, I’m Allen Zadoff.

From Storytelling to Story Systems

After a decade of professional storytelling that includes writing award-winning novels, developing characters, and mastering narrative structure, I recognized that the same principles that make stories work could be systematized to help other writers.

My books including The Unknown Assassin, Wild & Chance, and The Donut Prince of New York taught me story architecture from the inside. Now as well as writing, I build AI tools that apply those same narrative principles to help writers solve structural challenges.

This writing foundation gives me unique insight into the struggle of real storytellers. I now apply that knowledge to developing narrative intelligence systems.

Named a 2024 Best Young Adult Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews!

The Donut Prince of New York, a new YA rom/com by Allen Zadoff
Learn more

The Donut Prince of
New York

⭐️ “A pitch-perfect journey of self-discovery. “ —Kirkus, Starred Review

My new YA rom/com, The Donut Prince of New York, is out now! This novel dives deep into the life of 16-year-old Eugene Guterman—a high school playwright wrestling with a first crush, food and body issues, and the challenges of newfound popularity.

Some of you know from my past work that the struggles with weight and body image aren't just a theme in my books—they've been real chapters in my life. At a time when men rarely discussed these concerns, I faced them head-on. While the world has changed, stories spotlighting male protagonists grappling with such issues remain rare. So The Donut Prince is not just a story—it's a conversation that’s long overdue. Click here to learn more and pre-order now!

The Books

Young Adult & Middle Grade

The Donut Prince of New York, a new YA rom/com by Allen Zadoff
Book cover titled "Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have" by Allen Zadoff, with images of two people holding hands, children playing football, and a girl smiling.
Book cover for 'Wild & Chance' by Allen Zadoff featuring a young boy with brown hair in a blue jacket and a small dog, with a background of silhouettes of people running during a sunset.
Book cover for 'Wild & Chance: The Puppy War' by Allen Zadoff, featuring a young boy, a puppy, a line of fluffy puppies, and a cityscape background with a car.

YA Thriller Series

Book cover for 'Boy Nobody' by Allen Zadoff featuring a cityscape with tall buildings in the background, a lone person walking through a park with leafless trees, and a target graphic overlay.
Book cover for 'I Am The Weapon' by Allen Zadoff featuring a silhouette of a man walking away from the camera, with a bright light behind him and a target symbol in the background.
Book cover for "I Am The Mission" by Allen Zadoff, showing a silhouette of a man walking in a mountainous landscape at sunset, with the title and author’s name prominently displayed.
Book cover for 'I Am The Traitor' by Allen Zadoff. The background shows an explosion with a silhouette of a person giving a thumbs-up, with a helicopter flying overhead. The title is in bold green and white letters.

Non-Fiction

Book cover titled 'The AI Revolution for Writers' by Allen Zadoff, featuring a white and green tree illustration and a dark blue background with interconnected lines.
Book cover titled 'Hungry: Lessons Learned on the Journey from Fat to Thin' by Allen Zadoff, featuring colorful cupcakes at the bottom.

People Are Talking

★ “Instantly lovable…a pitch perfect journey of self-discovery.”

— Kirkus, starred review, Donut Prince

“Gentle, funny, uncommonly appealing.”

— Los Angeles Times, Hungry

“Boy makeover books are rare, and this one’s a gem.”

— Publisher’s Weekly, Food/Girls

“Laugh-out-loud humor, depictions of genuine teenage connections, and sly reworkings of evergreen tropes surrounding body image and high school stereotypes make for a subversive coming-of-age romp.”

—Publishers Weekly, Donut Prince

★ “Zadoff shines in this violent, entertaining take on the spy novel.”

— Publishers Weekly, starred review, Boy Nobody

“Fast, furious, and fun.”

— Kirk’s Reviews, I Am the Weapon

“Readers will not want to put this story down.”

— School Library Journal, Wild & Chance