HYPERTEXT: Hypertextopia – Untying Knots
While I still believe that Hypertextopia is fully capable of multi-linear story paths, it is not the ideal environment for that–Storyspace most likely is the best vehicle if that is the intent. Perhaps because I’m coming out of the middle of my second Storyspace project to take advantage of the opportunity when Hypertextopia came to my attention, I am still thinking along those lines (though I’m not as excited about the ‘choose your own path’ idea [since basically, the path is not always chosen with any knowledge of data for a basis of decision] I do love the side trails and intricacy of weaving a story that hypertext in any form offers so well).
So, in reading through A Bottle of Beer in its unfinished form, and finding that I’ve often missed the loops that were vital to the linear narrative part of the story (versus the non-linear flashbacks and backstory that are clearly necessary inclusions), I have untied some loops, rethreaded the narrative so that it does, in effect, go in one direction for all who read it–except for the side trails that are read by reader choice.
I’ve got to say that I am thrilled with this form and particularly that it has been made available to both readers and writers by its creator, Jeremy Ashkenas to whom I am very grateful for the opportunity to work in it.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology