Chapter 3.

Hypertext fiction puts the control into the readers hands, authors of hypertext fiction can design their stories through these hypertext's/links that create different stories based on what hypertext you choose. As you choose options throughout the text to further the story than you slowly develop an alternate ending based on your choices. In most hypertext fiction there are multiple endings. So, if you and a friend read the same story but make different choices you both will have different ending to the story. The rise of technology helps stories like this grow in popularity since hyperlinks are used on basically every website or digital written literature. This growth in tech helps the stories use more resources as well and since you can hyperlink to anything it could be just another story line, or an image that helps you determine what option to choose later in the story. Hypertext fiction is kind of like a crappy GPS, when you think you should go left but the GPS says go right you will end in different places just like in a hypertext fiction book.

When I think of hypertext fiction I think back to the Choose your own Adventure series from the 1990’s we talk a little bit about these in class but I remember when growing up and reading these in middle school having to always argue with friends because we had different scenarios/endings and we both wanted to prove that we made the right choices. Only having read a few of the series, there are over 180 books that take you on basically any adventure you want. Being able to make these choices while reading creates a more interactive story in which you have control versus reading completely what other wrote. Your decisions impact the ending and that’s what made these books so fun to read.

Mason Sweet