ABSTRACT
Hyperfiction, also called interactive fiction, hypertext fiction, or nonlinear fiction, is an evolving genre. It consists of text presented in computer format, usually via the Internet, that is written in hypertext and has the feature of allowing the reader to pursue the path of his or her choice by following the hyperlinks embedded in the text. The reader can follow multiple paths through the same text with variable developments and possible outcomes. Enhancements such as maps, charts, illustrations, etc., are included as well, and are made accessible through hyperlinks. Thus, according to proponents, the reader becomes an active participant in the evolution of the story or of his or her experience in appreciating the presentation. The reader finds the experience enhanced by the combination of choice in the direction the story takes and the resulting unexpected twists and turns the narrative thereby offers. The term “hypertext” was coined in the 1970s by Theodor Nelson, who first used it to describe nonlinear writing made possible for composing and reading in computer format. Early writers include Michel Joyce, Professor of English at Vassar College, who began writing in this fashion in the early 1990s. Joyce created a software application, called Storyspace, which he continues to use for his own writing and which has been used by a number of writers, instructors, and students. Popularity of this new format, which began in America, has extended to Europe and Japan. Hyperfiction works are most commonly accessible via the Internet, but can also be presented on CD-ROM or disks. A number of university professors and students are turning to hyperfiction as a creative genre to explore and develop. Hyperfiction requires a different sort of writer and reader, with the writer willing and able to incorporate various directions and options in his or her work, and the reader willing to join in the experience by choosing the direction of it rather than accepting the more traditional and passive role of reading a linear piece.
