Electronic Literature

I just want to get this out there. I am open to different types of reading experiences, but I definitely prefer either a real book in my hands or just some text on a screen. I was never a real big fan of multi-modal story telling. For me, it's always either been a book, a movie, or a game, not a combination of the three. That said, I can see the benefits of sites such as Inanimate Alice, and I can see the appeal for other people. I guess I'm just not one of those people.

1. No, this type of thing definitely does not appeal to me. I found the experience rather disorienting, and I won't be going back there. However, there is definitely a use for that type of site and it would probably be rather useful for those not quite as confident readers.

2. I do think that younger readers could get the most out of Alice. They would enjoy the small interactive games and the pictures which rush alongside with the text. It would help build their confidence up so they can read more and more.

3. Well, there's the fact that it's not always possible to access the Internet, and you look kind of silly if you're reading a book on your laptop at, say, a bus stop. Also, people sometimes find it hard to stare at a screen for a long time.

4. Well, it still tells a story, so there's that. It also still mainly relies on text to convey the main story, but the pictures, sounds, and interactives enhance the experience.

5. There's the Kindle, which allows you to store many books on an E-Reader. The Apple products have iBooks, which is the same principle. There's many fan-fiction sites on the web, on which authors post continuations on an established piece of fiction. Some authors release entire books on the web.

6. For me, it's a no-brainer. I know that reading the old fashioned way is the best. There's nothing that can really match the feel of pages turning in your hand, or running your fingers down the spine of a book. Reading will always be about the books for me.