3 ms·

Here's a link to the main page: http://world.std.com/~raparker/exploring/thewasteland/explore.html http://world.std.com/~raparker/exploring/thewasteland/explor.

Here's a link to the main page: http://world.std.com/~raparker/exploring/thewasteland/explore.html http://world.std.com/~raparker/exploring/thewasteland/explor... I am studying a course in digital culture, part of that involves studying electronic literature, part of which involves studying hypertextuality. There is as yet no literary exemplar of the hypertextual realm, it is curious that we have to go back to a poem that predates the hyperlink to find a good fit. Thank you ever so much for posting this, I really appreciate it and know quite a few others that will find this very intellectually stimulating.

_delirium 16y ago
What do you mean by: There is as yet no literary exemplar of the hypertextual realm, it is curious that we have to go back to a poem that predates the hyperlink to find a good fit. Do you not count hypertext fiction? E.g. stuff like: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afternoon,_a_story http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afternoon,_a_story
- igravious 16y ago
  Good example you've chosen. Patchwork Girl by Shelley Jackson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patchwork_Girl_(hypertext) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patchwork_Girl_(hypertext) using (coincidentally created using the same authoring system that you link to) is another fine, if not finer, example. However, owing to the youth of the medium, and the very slow uptake I feel we have as yet to see any outstanding works in hypertext fiction. By which I mean of great artistic merit and a piece of work that transcends its form so that it is just thought of as a great work of fiction and not just a great work of hypertext fiction. (Non-fiction is a different matter entirely). As is suggested in this thread it is very possible that by sacrificing pace that a crucial component of fiction is lost to the author in the hypertextual realm. Ask me again in 50 years, really we're back in Gutenberg times with electronic literature - very exciting stuff, but really what we have are a lot of hypertexted bibles and not much else. (And I say that with all respect to the authors working in this field.)
conjectures 16y ago
The reason IMO hypertext is not a popular medium for narrative is that it is difficult to write. Narrative often draws power from unfolding events at a particular pace and in a particular order. Hypertext makes it difficult for an author to establish a particular pace/order. I find that the less linear a narrative is, the more homogenous the options/nodes available are. E.g. the options available outside the main storyline in a game like Fallout, or the structure of the novel 253 http://www.ryman-novel.com/info/home.htm http://www.ryman-novel.com/info/home.htm. I say outside the main storyline with ref to Fallout because the main storyline is linear: since it's hard to spin a good story without linearity.

_delirium 16y ago

What do you mean by: There is as yet no literary exemplar of the hypertextual realm, it is curious that we have to go back to a poem that predates the hyperlink to find a good fit. Do you not count hypertext fiction? E.g. stuff like: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afternoon,_a_story http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afternoon,_a_story

igravious 16y ago
Good example you've chosen. Patchwork Girl by Shelley Jackson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patchwork_Girl_(hypertext) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patchwork_Girl_(hypertext) using (coincidentally created using the same authoring system that you link to) is another fine, if not finer, example. However, owing to the youth of the medium, and the very slow uptake I feel we have as yet to see any outstanding works in hypertext fiction. By which I mean of great artistic merit and a piece of work that transcends its form so that it is just thought of as a great work of fiction and not just a great work of hypertext fiction. (Non-fiction is a different matter entirely). As is suggested in this thread it is very possible that by sacrificing pace that a crucial component of fiction is lost to the author in the hypertextual realm. Ask me again in 50 years, really we're back in Gutenberg times with electronic literature - very exciting stuff, but really what we have are a lot of hypertexted bibles and not much else. (And I say that with all respect to the authors working in this field.)

conjectures 16y ago

The reason IMO hypertext is not a popular medium for narrative is that it is difficult to write. Narrative often draws power from unfolding events at a particular pace and in a particular order. Hypertext makes it difficult for an author to establish a particular pace/order. I find that the less linear a narrative is, the more homogenous the options/nodes available are. E.g. the options available outside the main storyline in a game like Fallout, or the structure of the novel 253 http://www.ryman-novel.com/info/home.htm http://www.ryman-novel.com/info/home.htm. I say outside the main storyline with ref to Fallout because the main storyline is linear: since it's hard to spin a good story without linearity.