The Aesthetics of Generative Literature:
Lessons from a Digital Writing Workshop
Daniel C. Howe and Braxton Soderman
Abstract
This paper explores a range of issues related to the pedagogy and practice of generative writing in programmable media. We begin with a brief description of the RiTa toolkit – a set of computational tools designed to facilitate the practice of generative writing. We then describe our experiences using these tools in a series of digital writing workshops at Brown University in 2007-2008. We discuss and theoretically examine a set of core issues raised by workshop participants — distributed authorship, the aesthetics of surprise, materiality, push-back, layering, and others — and attempt to situate them within the larger discourse of generative art and writing practice.
Daniel C. Howe is a digital artist and researcher at NYU's Media Research Lab where he focuses on the design, implementation and analysis of generative literary systems. In addition to a background in sound and visual arts, Daniel has master's degrees in Literary Art (from Brown) and Computer Science (from U. Washington). He is currently a Visiting Professor in the Computer Science Department at Brown University. His work can be found at http://mrl.nyu.edu/~dhowe/.
A. Braxton Soderman is a doctoral Candidate in the Modern Culture and Media Department at Brown University. Before coming to Brown he completed a MFA in Writing at the California Institute of the Arts where he participated in the Integrated Media Program. He is currently studying digital aesthetics, electronic writing practices, and videogames. His dissertation, in progress, links videogames to larger historical and cultural forces operating within modernity. His work can be found at http://thefollowingphrases.com/.
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