Hypercompendia

(Click here to enlarge map)
So it’s sort of done; about 44 writing spaces and 153 links. While I was surprised to see what all the linking back did to the story–it makes it appear as if you’ve read it all but if you click on a ‘visited’ link you’ll usually find that you haven’t followed many off that next space. There are three different endings and God only knows how many different ways of getting there.

The story is of an artist who is getting ready for a gallery showing and whose past becomes part of the paint that swirls onto the canvas. A little risque in parts, but I had fun with the stream of consciousness method of narrative that works so very well in the hypertext format.

Boy, this story I’m writing would never have made the 24-hour deadline as part of the 100 Days Project. I’m really enjoying the writing of it. It’s psychological realism and while that can get boring reading, it’s the most fun for me to write.

When I get to this point, it involves a lot of rereading, going back to the beginning and trying a few of the paths to insure that all characters are mentioned, all situations at least foreshadowed, all necessary information has been covered via the path chosen when landing on the text in question. It’s not a case of the whole story having to be told in each path, but there has to be some indication of what’s going on or why.

Should be done in another day or two.

There is a certain sense of organized fluidity in writing hypertext in Tinderbox that keeps one busy in a creative manner while narrative comes out in its own pace of choice.

Maybe it doesn’t work as well in outline or chart view, but I’m so settled into the mapview of Tinderbox that I develop a pattern that’s pleasing to the eye even as it it planned around the paths of story. It’s almost a musical blending of notes.

This story came out of a dream about blueberries and it’s been influenced perhaps by reading Adrienne Eisen’s Six Sex Scenes. I really needed to loosen up a bit and let some human sexuality into the story that brings out the human drama and reality of our lives. Maybe a blueberry isn’t really a blueberry.

What a delightful opening by Mark Bernstein to this, his latest book. It is inviting, it is humorous, and I’ll be writing more about it tomorrow.

Been working on another hypertext story but without the 24-hour deadline of the 100 Days Project, I’m not quite as dedicated.

But I believe I’m writing better.

I’ve been meaning to go back and do some serious editing on the 100 hypertexts, being neither confident nor conceited enough to believe that they were put together in their best form with such short time spent putting them together. The ability to write into the hypertext form has become more natural to me however and that is one thing that I treasure; the ability to foresee paths and patterns within a narrative as it unrolls.

I like the process of writing hypertext narrative; it’s a constant rereading and picking up of clues and wanting to find answers to questions.

In writing this morning I tweaked the first few lines of a new story (which is another great thing about hypertext; you’re continually going back and reading what’s gone before, giving you that editorial chance at refining language) and easily selected three possible trails of story.

“I dreamt of blueberries, brown bags full of berries as large as apples. I still catch their cool scent, feel their plump bodies in my hands.

Blueberries smell of morning breeze and sex with white curtains blowing out open windows.”

“Dreamt” is a natural; it can be the psychology of the narrative. It will give me the poetics I am feeling for this story. While it was a tossup between “bodies” and “hands” I chose “hands” to explore the reality of this character’s life. It also allows a more physical, textured path that may bring in the conflicts. “Sex” is the other trail that will lead into the possibilities of intimacy with the reader.

This is the way traditional story telling rolls out too, it’s true. But the choices of which in what order, and the ability to go into greater depth than linear often allows with backstory or asides in the jumping of borders of time is something that hypertext does best.

Relaxing today, mentally coming down from a three-month routine that included anxious waiting for inspiration from 5:00 a.m. for a couple hours until a more reasonable hour of deliverance. From straining the brain for a new path of story through trails of possibilities. From learning more about code to development of narrative through color, pattern, choice, anticipation of reader input.

I don’t know that I’ve inspired anyone to try reading or writing hypertext fiction–except perhaps for Mary Ellen–and that was one of my own main goals, aside from the experimentation and learning of fiction first, hypertext second and all the extra bonuses that come with an undertaking of this sort.

But I do know I studied and learned daily from reading, watching, comprehending the artistic processes extended by the others in the group:

From Steve, the courage of going behind doors, into the corner, to leap given boundaries to find story and then sit and pick at the words.

From Carianne, to see things in a different way, to pull apart the strands of life and look inside for the colors.

From Mary Ellen, the indelible drawing of character by noticing the details of their interaction, their reaction, their actions.

From Maggie, the setting and environment of the story is just as important as the character and object.

From Susan, that the most intimate and common familiar items offer a match to the most wildly imaginative story.

From Neha, the power of poetry to produce using familiar language in unfamiliar settings to create an image.

From John, that story can cry, can holler in jubilation of sound, and that point of view changes angle of story.

From Denna, that an image can be so pronounced even when pulled from the vaguest of references when experienced by details.

From Mindy, that nature is in a constant state of narrative that changes with light and wind to tell a different tale every day.

From Jessica, that using the same medium and the same subject can offer at the very least 100 new angles if one seeks them.

From Jim, that code is a living thing that can be taught to dance.

From Steve K., that the planning is a part of the beauty of the process of building.

To them all I give thanks for the ability to watch and learn and wish them all lovely days of wild creativity.

The Mating Ritual of The Modern Man

This came out different than planned and not quite as focused, but I doubt that anyone will realize or care.

What inspired the story was the reality television shows such as The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, More to Love, etc. All those “true love true story” shows that are recognized by their overuse of the word “amazing” when describing the rejectees.

I am more intrigued than ever by the hypertext form of narrative and yet it’s still so damn hard to convince others to read much less write in this style. I’ve used Storyspace for the first couple of stories, but have used Tinderbox for all the rest and have paid homage to this exciting software by Eastgate in this last story of the 100 days.

My thanks and appreciation to all who have taken on this 100 Days Project. Now I suppose we all shall be busily writing our first semester compositions on “What I Did on My Summer Vacation.” After that, I may just have to take my hypertext show on the road.

Oaks and Acorns

As we’re winding down to the end of the 100 days of summer stories, the relief is mixed with a dash of desire to shine. To include what could be the best of our narratives, the working of words and images and hypertext to its finest.

But it’s all been a learning process and that won’t stop at the 100-day mark. This story is a more tender, gentle tale of a father and son. The bridging of time and space between generations. The hypertext is a series of alternate paths that lead through the woods to the pond.

Perks

What set me off on a trail from Steve’s story this morning was the idea of things. Little things carried back and forth. Things that we accumulate to make a home, a life around us. Things that change a person’s character to make him rationalize and justify.

The course is one that may go around and around, but then, the lexias are short and emphasize a building process. “Perks” here indicates the perquisites that one may have become too used to in this new economy. All that’s going to change, I’m sure, and it too will become as obsolete as the concept of hard work and the reward of the good life we may have known.