Printed literature

Electronic literature is a term that encompasses creative texts produced for printed media which are consumed in electronic format, as well as text produced for electronic media that could not be printed without losing essential qualities. In this paper we propose that works of electronic literature, understood as text (with possible inclusion of multimedia elements) designed to be consumed in bi or multi-directional electronic media, are evolving to become n-tier information systems. By "n-tier information system" we understand a configuration of components clearly separated in at least three independent layers: data (the textual content), process (computational interactions) and presentation (on-screen rendering of the narrative). In this paper, we build two basic arguments. On the one hand, we propose that the conception of electronic literature as an information system exploits the essence of electronic media, and we predict that this paradigm will become dominant in this field within the next few years. On the other hand, we propose that building information systems may also lead in a shift of emphasis from one-time artistic novelties to reusable systems. Finally, we show that this type of systems is impossible to archive with current approaches in the field, and offer a solution for the preservation of this type of works.

(Source: ELO 2008 site)

Recent innovations in digital environments may suggest that the possibility to manipulate the literal movement of the text could be one of the essential variables separating digital literature from printed literature. This bipolar distinction between digital and print media hides, however, a complex historical background. A fuller comprehension of movement as a variable in literature calls for the clarification of the historical development from the "analogies of movement" in printed literature to the innovations in video art, experimental film and multimedia poetry.

In classifying types of textual movement at least the following questions are relevant: What can be kinetic in the poetic text? How does the movement take place? Where does it take place? What is the result of the movement? And finally, what (or who) makes the text move? The article develops conceptual divisions that make answering these questions possible and thus helps to make the question of the specificity of digitally manipulated movement more precise.

(Source: Author's Abstract)

In this interview Domenico Chiappe describes his works of both electronic literature and print literature published between the years 2000-2012. He gives insight into the interesting collaborative work for the work of electronic literature and ponders about the difference of the two forms of expressions: the printed book and new media. His then articulates discourse about the language of new media taking in account the SMS Literature and his concept of hiperphonia. On regard of the new possibilities provided by new media technology, he maintains that there should be a certain balance and harmony of the audio-visual effects and the written texts.

Fabrizio Venerandi is author of two novels published in form of hypertextual ebooks and also co-founder of the publishing house Quintadicopertina. In this interview he talks about the book series Polistorie (Polystories) and about the basic ideas that inspired this project. Recalling the experience he made with the groundbreaking work on the first MUD in Italy in 1990, Venerandi describes the relations between literature and video games. Starting from a comparison between print literature tradition and new media, at last, he faces the problems of creation and preservation of digital works.

TheCoevas Strumentist di Parole is an group of authors or, as they define themselves, a literary band which created an interactive novel called TheCoevasIo interattivo (TheCoevas I interactive). The novel which was published in 2011 on the blog of the authors is accompanied by a medium-length documentary and is also published in form of printed book. Another characteristic of the novel is the variety of the online versions: iWork Apple, Powerpoint and pdf. As they explain in the interview, the project as a whole is conceived as an experiment of different ways of expressions and the work of writing is similar to the musical composition of a band. The very freedom of creativity is granted to the readers who can choose various audio-visual effects and narrative paths following their emotional and individual choices according to the demands of extemporaneity.

With the digital media in a culture changed by hypermedia, by immersion in virtual spaces and new social habits in reading, the fiction universe has been transmitted to us in a printed way and we can start to reflect on its past context to find a space in the future. This book searchs for answers of a key question when we talk about digitization of works of fiction previously printed. Is it possible to move and in which way the cultural memory of a printed book to the virtual memory characterised by hypertext, audiovisual immersion and participation in reading-writing?

Electronic literature is a term that encompasses artistic texts produced for printed media which are consumed in electronic format, as well as text produced for electronic media that could not be printed without losing essential qualities. Some have argued that the essence of electronic literature is the use of multimedia, fragmentation, and/or non-linearity. Others focus on the role of computation and complex processing. "Cybertext" does not sufficiently describe these systems. In this paper we propose that works of electronic literature, understood as text (with possible inclusion of multimedia elements) designed to be consumed in bi- or multi-directional electronic media, are best understood as 3-tier (or n-tier) information systems. These tiers include data (the textual content), process (computational interactions) and presentation (on-screen rendering of the narrative). The interaction between these layers produces what is known as the work of electronic literature. This paradigm for electronic literature moves beyond the initial approaches which either treated electronic literature as computerized versions of print literature or focused solely on one aspect of the system. In this paper, we build two basic arguments. On the one hand, we propose that the conception of electronic literature as an information system gets at the essence of electronic media, and we predict that this paradigm will become dominant in this field within the next few years. On the other hand, we propose that building information systems may also lead in a shift of emphasis from one-time artistic novelties to reusable systems. Demonstrating this approach, we read works from the Electronic Literature Collection Volume 1 (Jason Nelson and Emily Short) as well as newer works by Mez and the team gathered by Kate Pullinger and Chris Joseph. Glancing toward the future, we discuss the n-tier analysis of the Global Poetic System and the La Flood Project.

(Source: Authors' abstract at Hyperrhiz)

ELO Conference Abstract:

AbstractThis panel brings together scholars from the Colombia, the United States, and Europe to examine electronic literature not as computer-enhanced text but as information systems. As developed in the four papers, this "systematic" approach would push criticism toward an understanding of these textual objects that might facilitate more multi-level readings of developing systems, moving away from a capitalist-driven aesthetic which champions the novel above all. The objects of study range from works in the Electronic Literature Collection volume 1 to a recently funded locative media elit piece being developed for Barcelona.