Interactive novel
Encyclopedia
The interactive novel is a form of web fiction and interactive fiction
. While authors of traditional paper-and-ink novel
s have sometimes tried to give readers the random directionality offered by true hypertext
ing, this approach was not completely feasible until the development of HTML
. Paper novels (indeed, some digital novels) are linear, that is, read from page to page in a straight line. Heather McElhatton
's novel "Million Little Mistakes" published by Harpercollins in 2010 is a hard copy book with over a hundred endings and can be considered an interactive novel in the classic choose your own adventure
style.
Online interactive novels, however, offer readers another unique way to read fiction by choosing a page, a character, or a direction. By following hyperlinked phrases within the novel, readers can find new ways to understand characters. There is no wrong way to read a hypertext interactive novel. Links embedded within the pages are meant to be taken at a reader's discretion – to allow the reader a choice in the novel's world.
A typical example of this genre is The Interactive Novel: Pick a character, pick a direction, found on David Benson's "No Dead Trees" website. This fiction allows readers, who can also become writers, to explore the novel from a list of characters given at the site. The novel is intended to be read randomly, as the reader chooses to follow various directions.
The genre has prompted some less than respectful responses, including a comment by John Updike
, who participated in an early effort at online fiction, that "books haven't really been totally ousted yet." Other critics, while conceding the hyped and trendy nature of the genre, have found real value in the immersive if sometimes disorienting nature of interactive fiction.
There are many interactive novels on the Web. Some of the older efforts have fallen into disuse, but the ease of creating such fiction, with the lack of the barriers to entry
typical of traditional paper-and-ink publishing
, helps to keep the genre alive with new works.
's term for an online interactive "web novel." It is almost in the style of a Choose Your Own Adventure
gamebook
in which the reader chooses which way the action will continue. It is written by the author as people vote which way the action will continue. Because the author has no way of knowing how everyone will vote, they have to wait until voting is finished to continue writing the story. Despite its interactivity, because a Wovel is released piece-by-piece, it is a form of webserial. Also, each "episode" ends with a cliffhanger
, but the choice and fate of the plot is up to the reader's vote, and not predetermined by the author. The first wovel was from Victoria Blake's Underland Press and features Kealan Patrick Burke
's The Living (which is still ongoing). It started June 1, 2008 and immediately had over 1,000 readers and 700 votes in its first few days of being published online. It currently releases a new section of the story every Monday, and voting on it continues through Thursday. Burke writes the new section of story, and then the new post goes up on the following Monday.
Interactive fiction
Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as video games. In common usage, the term refers to text...
. While authors of traditional paper-and-ink novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s have sometimes tried to give readers the random directionality offered by true hypertext
Hypertext
Hypertext is text displayed on a computer or other electronic device with references to other text that the reader can immediately access, usually by a mouse click or keypress sequence. Apart from running text, hypertext may contain tables, images and other presentational devices. Hypertext is the...
ing, this approach was not completely feasible until the development of HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
. Paper novels (indeed, some digital novels) are linear, that is, read from page to page in a straight line. Heather McElhatton
Heather McElhatton
Heather McElhatton is a writer and producer for Public Radio International. McElhatton produced the literary series Talking Volumes from 2001 to 2006. From 2005 to 2007 she hosted the live variety show Stage Sessions for Minnesota Public Radio at the Fitzgerald Theater in St Paul, Minnesota...
's novel "Million Little Mistakes" published by Harpercollins in 2010 is a hard copy book with over a hundred endings and can be considered an interactive novel in the classic choose your own adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure is a series of children's gamebooks where each story is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actions and the plot's outcome. The series was based on a...
style.
Online interactive novels, however, offer readers another unique way to read fiction by choosing a page, a character, or a direction. By following hyperlinked phrases within the novel, readers can find new ways to understand characters. There is no wrong way to read a hypertext interactive novel. Links embedded within the pages are meant to be taken at a reader's discretion – to allow the reader a choice in the novel's world.
A typical example of this genre is The Interactive Novel: Pick a character, pick a direction, found on David Benson's "No Dead Trees" website. This fiction allows readers, who can also become writers, to explore the novel from a list of characters given at the site. The novel is intended to be read randomly, as the reader chooses to follow various directions.
The genre has prompted some less than respectful responses, including a comment by John Updike
John Updike
John Hoyer Updike was an American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic....
, who participated in an early effort at online fiction, that "books haven't really been totally ousted yet." Other critics, while conceding the hyped and trendy nature of the genre, have found real value in the immersive if sometimes disorienting nature of interactive fiction.
There are many interactive novels on the Web. Some of the older efforts have fallen into disuse, but the ease of creating such fiction, with the lack of the barriers to entry
Barriers to entry
In theories of competition in economics, barriers to entry are obstacles that make it difficult to enter a given market. The term can refer to hindrances a firm faces in trying to enter a market or industry - such as government regulation, or a large, established firm taking advantage of economies...
typical of traditional paper-and-ink publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
, helps to keep the genre alive with new works.
Wovel
"Wovel" is Underland PressUnderland Press
Underland Press is a publishing company owned by Victoria Blake. Victoria Blake is a writer and the former prose editor for Dark Horse Comics....
's term for an online interactive "web novel." It is almost in the style of a Choose Your Own Adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure is a series of children's gamebooks where each story is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actions and the plot's outcome. The series was based on a...
gamebook
Gamebook
A gamebook is a work of fiction that allows the reader to participate in the story by making effective choices. The narrative branches along various paths through the use of numbered paragraphs or pages...
in which the reader chooses which way the action will continue. It is written by the author as people vote which way the action will continue. Because the author has no way of knowing how everyone will vote, they have to wait until voting is finished to continue writing the story. Despite its interactivity, because a Wovel is released piece-by-piece, it is a form of webserial. Also, each "episode" ends with a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
, but the choice and fate of the plot is up to the reader's vote, and not predetermined by the author. The first wovel was from Victoria Blake's Underland Press and features Kealan Patrick Burke
Kealan Patrick Burke
Kealan Patrick Burke was born and raised in Dungarvan, Ireland. He is best known as an award-winning author described as "a newcomer worth watching" by Publishers Weekly...
's The Living (which is still ongoing). It started June 1, 2008 and immediately had over 1,000 readers and 700 votes in its first few days of being published online. It currently releases a new section of the story every Monday, and voting on it continues through Thursday. Burke writes the new section of story, and then the new post goes up on the following Monday.
External links
- What Hypertext Is Not Bound To Do: Digital Decisions in the Literary Humanities
- Fiction by Multiple Authors
- Reactive Writing Interview
- Collaborative Creation
- Interactive Novels for mobile phones
- Oregonian article about Underland Press' Wovels
- Ohio Writers article "The Battle Cry Goes Forth: Wovel Up!"
- ForeWord Magazine article about Wovels
- The Future is Bleak article about Wovels including a Podcast interview with Victoria Blake
- The Undead Rat article about Wovels by Greg Fisher
- Enter the Ocotopus article about Wovels by Matt Staggs