{ literal1 . text }

What is { literal1.text }?

{ literal1.text } is a forum for electronic literature professors, creators, and theorists to share ideas.

Why is it called { literal1.text }?

{ literal1.text } is a tag which allows the programmer to control the way a piece of text appears on the page, directing it to appear “literally” in the browser as it has been written as code on the server.  It was chosen primarily because it is a programming term which contains both the words “literal” and “text,” both objects of play and study in the literature classroom. The reference to programming language points to the space between code and interface, and thus taps into the long tradition of literary criticism which lives in the gaps between conscious/subconscious, denotation/connotation, author/reader, high culture/popular culture, literal/figurative, the real/the symbolic, form/content, etc.

But more than this, it is a bit of a riddle:  Does a text ever mean something in a literal sense?  Can a tag like “literal1.text” fix meaning for readers?  Do media, in adding information, unify the reception of texts?  Or do media, in adding information, multiply the reception of texts?

Who is { literal1.text } for?

The information presented here has two primary audiences: Those who already teach electronic literature and those would like to. For those who are already teaching electronic literature: We are a community geared towards the development and critique of ideas. For those who would like to teach electronic literature: We offer examples of ways to integrate electronic literature into existing courses and how to structure entire courses around the topic.

Am I allowed to use the materials here in my classroom?

Of course! But please, make sure to give credit (and feedback) to our contributors for the lessons and teaching tools that you are using. Who knows, one of our contributors might ask to pop into your class to offer a virtual guest lecture.

How do I submit my work to { literal1.text }?

Email the site managers, Davin Heckman <davinheckman [at] gmail.com> or Helen Burgess <helen [at] burgness.net>. Give us a brief bio and we will give you a login and password.