HYPERTEXT: A Bottle of Beer – Structure
In the process of seeking translation of a somewhat vulgar slang word into espanol, I was pointed in the direction of editing this hypertext story and while I realized that there were some rough spots here, the story seemed to grow so quickly that I focused on letting that happen. This is not my usual way of writing, and in hypertext, it’s vital to keep it under some form of control because the story can never be available all at a glance (well yes, it can be presented in Map View but that doesn’t really show up the little glitches of language and time).
Now I’m in a quandary. I’m finding more and more "rough spots," places that could be smoothed and polished in rewriting, some time and space flaws, and other story element areas that beg for attention. This is all on my own recognition of less than top quality writing; I can well imagine what a pro writer like my buddy or a bunch of pro readers like the CW classmates could point out in this. But do I take care of these things now–which is what I normally do when writing, starting from an earlier point, often the first line, and reading and rewriting as I go–or should I finish up the story, since I’m so close to the end?
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
March 1st, 2008 at 10:21 pm
I say finish it. Does the system provide for “editing thought?” I’ve noticed that the SSP concept is so important in that allows for the editing work to be done inworld (just made that up) in the system before “publishing.”
Does HTT allow for a cloaked space?
March 1st, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Sure,I would think there’s an easy way of accomodating this. The system is basically divided into two forms: Fragments, which are the main text boxes and meant to carry the main narrative, and Shards, which are single boxes only that can hang off the main text boxes (or pages). These in turn are color coded, linked to text, and can be of any number coming from a box. Therefore, if a Notes system were wanted “inworld” (I like this term–it’s right on the button), then one color can be assigned–I’d suggest yellow or red–and perhaps the first or last word would be the text link in the main box.
Alternatively, a separate listing of notes can be developed that would be seen in the mapview which does not necessarily tie in directly to the narrative.