Blog Assignment #3

Just like  I sad in my previous blog post, I want to have an interactive diary for my hypertext assignment. I decided not to set it up like Mad Libs -- it was getting a bit complicated.

Instead, here's a preview of my new concept. My first scene may go something like this:

Dear diary,
It happened. Not like I didn't want it, but still. Perhaps I should have waited. My mother always warned me what would happen if I didn't. But I didn't listen. I was so thick headed back then. Now I'm paying the ultimate price. 

The link to "it happened" would explain what "it" was and reveal the event's further details. The link to "what would happen for I didn't" would reveal a conversation the girl had with her mother about "it" and the consequences. The link to "ultimate price" will lead to a reflection about when she found out she was pregnant. And so on and so on....

I'm actually starting to like how it's coming along. As for images, I'm not quite sure. Perhaps the main scene will be a white flower, minus all of its' pedals. It's a play on being "deflowered." Each scene will show a progression in her loss of petals.  I'm starting to collect these types of pictures on my Google Drive -- it was an easy program to download! I really like it. It reminds me of another program called Drop Box.

As for the site, I'm still playing around with it. Here's the link to my site! I accidentally forgot the "o" in demo in my site address, so I'm hoping I discover how to change it soon! I've been learning how to create new pages and checked out the neat gadgets as well! I especially love the Twitter gadget, since we've been using it for class! I like the options to insert tables and such as well!

Blog Assignment #2

I've been exploring many of the electronic literature pieces in the collection, but I especially loved "Fitting the Pattern." I liked that it was interactive. At first, I didn't know what to do, but after I got the hang of it, I found the concept really neat and fairly easy to follow. I loved how it was interactive, but also had a kind of story to follow as well.

I also enjoyed the piece entitled, "Toucher." It was really strange at first. I felt like I was just playing around with the different options, but needless to say, it was a fun experience! 

For my concept, I was thinking of an interactive diary.Similar to the game, Mad Libs, the reader plugs in a verb, noun or adjective into designated spaces in the diary, which determines how the diary unfolds. 

Instead of having the reader plugging in any word (out of the millions in the English language), I'll have options to choose from. All the reader has to do  is click on the word he or she believes fits the best.  This will make it more of a personalized adventure/experience. 

Each page of the diary will bring a different type of insight into the "character." In a nutshell, you as the reader will be the character  Unbeknownst, you'll be part of the creative process. 

Each scene will be a different reflection of a discussion or event and you as the reader will plug in words at critical parts in the story. Perhaps the first event will be the start of some type of journey and the story will unfold accordingly. 

Blog Assignment #1

So, I read Twelve Blue. I must confess that it wasn't the funnest or easiest read. I tried to use a straight forward strategy when reading it. I ignored the threads on the top of the page and only clicked on the numbers, in hierarchical order. The firs time reading, I ignored all the hyperlinks. I just read straight through. The second time I went through it, I clicked on all the hyperlinks.

I used this strategy because I felt that if I kept clicking on all the hyperlinks, I'd lose sight of where I started and get confused -- I'd probably read the same thing over and over! I was hoping to find some rhyme and reason to the text by using this strategy,  but I still ended up lost and confused. Somehow, I couldn't make the connection to what I was reading.

I even went back and tried to click on the threads to see if they'd give me any new information.  Turns out, they didn't. I was hoping this strategy of mine would help me tackle the text and understand it better, but I still ended up feeling out of place and not quite grasping the true meaning of the text the author had intended.

-Stephanie

Welcome!

Hey, there!

My name is Stephanie and I'm currently an undergraduate at Kean University. I'm taking a course on electronic literature this year and will be posting about my experience! It's a relatively new field and I'm eager to learn about it! 

Thanks for checking in! Be on the lookout for my weekly posts! 

-Stephanie