Final project

Here is the link to my final project. This has been a great class and I learned a lot. It has challenged me technologically. I hope you enjoy.

http://mason.gmu.edu/~lstallin/Backstory.html

Electronic Literature

I am learning to appreciate electronic literature more, but am still not completely sold on it. I think there will always be a need for the written literature. I feel it is still easier to hold the literature in your hand and read it. I printed off the electronic literature for the readings this week and read the printed copy rather than read it on the computer screen. After looking at a computer screen all day at work the last thing I want to do is read the newspaper or a book on the computer when I get home. I think reading on the computer screen is more taxing on the eyes than reading a printed copy. Staring at the computer is hard on the eyes. I think I shall continue reading the printed copy of literature.

Final project

I am leaning towards doing another interactive fiction for my final project. I really love to write, that's where my strength lies. The real challenge will be setting up the different links or branches. I didn't work on that aspect of my group project and do not know how to do that. But, I will learn.

Group project response

We viewed the group projects on class last night and I enjoyed all of them. I liked the poems and pictures and concept of Allison's and Virginia's. The fake myspace pages project was really neat...to think of creating fake profiles and havethem interconnect was a great idea, and interesting. I also enjoyed the interactive text game that the boys did, that was creative and looks like it took some time and hard work. And last, but not least, I liked the hiphop website that was created. That is something that a lot of people can use, and if possible should be kept up and running. I do realize that that would be a lot of work though! I think everyone came up with creative ideas, no two were alike and that a lot of work and time was put into the projects. Great job everyone!

group project

http://mason.gmu.edu/~kzuiker/title.html

Group project

My group project team consists of Elizabeth Counter, Adeela Rasool, Kerri Zuiker and myself. I am thankful that I got to work with these girls for they are far more computer literate than I and were able to work out the website part while I could concentrate more on the creative writing aspect. We worked well together and I would enjoy working with them again if the opportunity arose. We did a choose your adventure story. I hope everyone enjoys it.

What is a narrative?

To me, a narrative is an explanation or summary of a story. It is a brief snapshot of the overall picture and a foretelling of what is to come. You should learn from it. I like the idea of reading a book, and the story progressing in a linear fashion. Cybertext does not necesarily allow this. It is non-linear. However, cybertext can be considered a narrative, because it does inform and you are reading and learning. It is just a different form of narrative. You can jump to different parts of a story, as evidenced by Joyce's Twelve Blue. In Aarseth's work on Ergodic Literature, he explains that the reader is powerless in the unfolding of a narrative. That is true in the case of cybertext or reading a book. You only have as much power as the author allows. In cybertext, links allow you to read forward, and not in sequential order, but I believe you can lose meaning by reading out of order like that. So, I say all this to say that a narrative is an informative piece of writing, regardless of the format or style. Again, I prefer to read books. My eyes are less tired, and it is less taxing on my brain!!