Wired Words: Electronic Writing Workshop
(Apr. 3-June 5, 2001)

Offered by Stanford University
Continuing Studies Program
Stanford, CA

Instructors: Robert Kendall and Rich Holeton

Course Description

The digital revolution has opened an entirely new avenue for literature, as poets and fiction writers embrace the possibilities of the computer for artistic expression, exploiting such electronic techniques as hypertext, animated text, and self-generating text. We will explore existing works of literature and guide students in creating their own work that uses the computer screen instead of the printed page as its medium. Each week we will read and discuss important examples of electronic poetry and fiction, as well as some precursors that test the constraints of printed literature and point the way to the new genres. Students will learn the craft of electronic writing by sharing work- in-progress with classmates and the instructors. Students may choose to create new pieces or reconceive their existing fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction for the digital medium. Students should have private access to a computer, email, and the Internet.

Continuing Studies EGL 141, Spring 2001

Dates: Apr. 3-June 5, Spring 2001

Time: Tuesdays, 6:15-9:05 PM

Tuition: $495

Units: 3

Location: Meyer 220 (Flexible Class-Lab)

Class Size Limit: 22

Continuing Studies Program
Building 590, Rm. 103
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-3005
Phone: (650) 725-2650
Fax: (650) 725-4248
Email: continuingstudies@stanford.edu

Register Online

How the Course Will Run

The first few class sessions will present an overview of different types of electronic literature. You will read and discuss published electronic works, along with some essays and articles about the genre. After gaining an understanding of the possibilities available to you, you will begin work on your own electronic writing project. The remainder of the course will be devoted primarily to workshop sessions that will provide supportive feedback and constructive criticism for your work-in-progress. We will continue demonstrating examples of electronic literature throughout the course, attempting to choose pieces that relate to the work you are creating.

During the workshop sessions you'll present your work to the class in various stages of completion for feedback from us and other class members. There will also be ongoing discussion of software options available to you, techniques you can use, pitfalls you should beware of, and many nuts and bolts issues of craft. To supplement classroom discussion, a Web discussion forum or e-mail list will be available for further exchanges in between class sessions.

Critiques of student projects will focus on both the quality of the writing itself and the effectiveness of the electronic elements used in the work. You'll be encouraged to make your feedback as specific as possible: Describe what is working well and why. Try to pin down exactly where problems lie and how they might be solved. For students who choose to create an interactive work, classmates will provide evaluative "user testing" for the interface and navigational design. When your work is being critiqued, you should mainly listen to the feedback rather than responding to it or explaining your intentions. When everyone has had their say, you can then ask questions. Classroom feedback will be supplemented by written evaluations of your work from us.

Students can create their class projects in HTML, Storyspace, Flash, Director, or any other appropriate format that can be shared with the class. There will be some discussion of various software options for realizing different electronic approaches, and we will cover some general electronic authoring techniques. We will not, however, be able to provide tutorials on using HTML editors, Flash, or other software. You should have a basic knowledge of the software you plan to use for your project.

Texts and Materials

Wired Words Course Reader (available at Stanford Bookstore)

Poetry, fiction, and essays on the Web

Software for creating a class project (one of the following):

Syllabus

Contact Robert Kendall at
kendall@wordcircuits.com