I did a whole presentation on this at Hypertext 2008 in Pittsburgh last year: story wants to be laid out not according to the writer’s whim, but rather where it wants to go on its own. Of course, before the web and hyperlinks, we didn’t have the choice of hypertext versus traditional linear story. There were the options of form however in prose, poetry, etc.
With the 100 Days Project I am writing a story a day in hypertext form. Neha is doing story in poetry. Mary Ellen is doing writing character sketches, others are contributing photography, watercolor, script, and meals. Steve is doing linear text story.
Now there are many times I’m writing something that seems to want a straight linear–and it’s hard to use the term linear here because non-hypertexted story needn’t be linear–and I either have to stop and think about it or squeeze it out as best I can. This is forcing it into a form which the story doesn’t necessarily need to be. There is a third option that I’ve taken a couple times: dump the story and start a new one.
I’m guessing that just as I come upon stories that want to be straight, Steve imagines a few that want to be hypertext. He’s proficient at either and once you have the tools, it’s always a part of the initial conception of story. One thing that’s helped me keep in a hypertext frame of mind is creating a base map of story in Tinderbox with writing spaces based on the average (about 16 with a half dozen smaller links to inspire intersections). This serves as a blank piece of paper or monitor in the hypertext version of writing.
It does get easier as one becomes immersed in the style to maintain that style of story; I find myself reading a paperback novel looking for links.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
I have to agree with your last statement. When I entered the project Steve asked me what I wanted to learn more about, and I considered my writing strengths and needs. Character has never been a serious concern; they are either there or they get manufactured to serve the purpose. Having to rely solely on creating some script around an individual has forced me to think primarily of character development. The ones who haven’t worked were obvious, because I was trying to stretch my idea across a frame instead of letting the person shape the goal. In similar fashion to your experiences with hypertext, I am discovering that there are wills and ways, and neither is necessarily mine.
Yes, I think this exercise is going to teach us a few things and reinforce what we know. Though I’d like to have a break at day #50!The 24-hour (really, half that) deadline is good discipline and though I hate posting stories that may be weak in places (including the linking) I think the next “semester” will be spent on editing and reworking.