The Impact of Wattpad and Interactive Fiction

These blogposts provide an overview of contemporary reading practices as presented by our guest lecturer Cristina Loi, highlighting the influence of Wattpad and Interactive Fiction.

First Blogpost -

posted by Kseniia Kamyshova

Exploring Interactive Fiction: A Reader's Adventure

As fiction reading continues to shift towards digital platforms, more academic studies are crucially needed to understand the cognitive and emotional impacts of these platforms on the reading process and experience. The study by Loi, Kuijpers, Ensslin, and Lauer (2023), titled "Paths to Transformation Across Contemporary Reading Practices: The Role of Motivations and Genre Preferences" presented by Cristina Loi, the co-author and lecturer of Seminar 11 in the course Social Digital Reading ), aimed to compare the transformative effects of reading across different contemporary reading practices, including print fiction and digital fiction. The research highlighted the benefits of expanding the boundaries of research on the transformative effects of reading beyond literary print fiction, encouraging further research in the field of empirical literary studies that accounts for a wide variety of contemporary reading practices. (Loi et al., 2023)

Digital fiction encompassed interactive narratives, social reading apps, and multimedia ebooks. I am particularly interested in learning more about interactive narratives (also known as interactive fiction or IF), because they represent an evolution of traditional reading practice. In this wiki style blogpost, I will provide an overview of interactive fiction as a contemporary reading practice and trace its historical development as a unique form of digital storytelling that emphasizes reader agency.

Defining Interactive Fiction

Interactive fiction refers to a form of digital fiction that engages readers through interactive elements, allowing them to take different pathways through the text or experience different versions of the story. Typically presented on screens with multimedia enhancements, interactive fiction gives readers agency to actively shape the tale by navigating hypertext links, directing character actions, or influencing how scenes unfold. (Loi et al., 2023)

Early Interactive Fiction

IF contains certain basic elements that distinguish it from conventional static fiction. Specifically, IF is a programme-mediated narrative presented through text, allowing readers to enter commands or make choices that alter the course of the story. Originating from 1970s-80s text adventures like Zork, IF has users investigate environments and influence outcomes through actions and choices. These early IF works were praised for the sense of agency afforded by experiencing the storyworld through a character avatar and influencing plot outcomes by conversing with characters and solving puzzles. Delivered on floppy discs and early PCs, this first wave of IF established the basic principles of explorable simulated worlds, conversion interaction, and stories with multiple endings based on user. Works such as Planetfall, Trinity, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy demonstrate the sophistication of narrative design and the reactivity of early IF. This pioneering era inspired a long-lasting enthusiasm among readers for interactive storytelling. (Montfort, 2004, pp. 15-35)

The Evolution of Modern IF

After initial popularity, IF declined but was reinvigorated by the internet. The 2000s were innovative in mixing IF with other genres. Hybrid works blend IF with visual novels, point-and-click adventures, RPG combat systems, and simulation gameplay. Expanding the diversity and accessibility of interactive narratives. (Ensslin, 2014, pp. 23-45). Advancements in AI, machine learning, and natural language processing likewise open new possibilities for IF each year.

Crafting Interactive Narratives

In order to craft an engaging Interactive Fiction (IF) experience, it is crucial to strike a delicate equilibrium between granting readers a sense of freedom and maintaining a cohesive narrative structure at various junctures within the story. As highlighted by Riedl and Bulitko (2013), key considerations encompass the adept management of complexity, the preservation of immersive qualities, the subtle guidance of choices, the assurance of logical consistency, and the strategic influence over narrative consequences.

Managing complexity involves orchestrating a narrative that presents a diverse array of choices and paths without overwhelming the reader.

Maintaining immersion is paramount in IF, as it sustains the reader's engagement and emotional investment in the storyline. Subtly guiding choices involves skillfully directing readers toward meaningful decision points while avoiding overt manipulation.

Logical consistency plays a pivotal role in the creation of IF, ensuring that the narrative adheres to a coherent set of rules and principles. This consistency not only enhances the credibility of the fictional world but also contributes to the reader's sense of agency and comprehension.

Influencing consequences strategically entails crafting a web of outcomes that respond meaningfully to the choices made by the reader.

The Artistic Value of IF

IF’s facility for representing abstract narratives also offers artistic opportunities . The readerly input underlying IF is one of its most compelling artistic qualities. By collaborating with readers in the construction of unique plot trajectories, IF allows for the infinite configuration of a conceptually robust space of narrative possibilities. In this sense, readerly imagination remains the primary virtue of IF. (Montfort, 2004, pp. 89-95). The ability to make choices in narratives also allows IF to address deep themes of morality, identity and consequences. (Montfort, 2004, pp. 103-108)

Conclusion

From the early text adventures to the expanding horizons of contemporary interactive fiction, this interactive literary form continues to evolve. A certain combination of simulated worlds, textual narrative, and meaningful interactivity ensures that readers are continually engaged. Code and text skilfully intertwine to give the reader control over the world, bringing it to life. IF authors face great challenges but get great artistic rewards in creating these personalised narratives. While technological advances will continue to define IF's horizons, at its core will remain the dream of allowing the reader to immerse themselves in the story and direct its course. IF gives readers the opportunity to go on the ultimate adventure - into the realm of imagination.

References:

Ensslin, A. (2014). Literary gaming (pp. 23-45). The MIT Press.

Montfort, N. (2004). Twisty little passages: An approach to interactive fiction. MIT Press.

Riedl, M. O., & Bulitko, V. (2013). Interactive narrative: An intelligent systems approach. AI Magazine, 34(1), 67-77. https://doi.org/10.1609/aimag.v34i1.2449

Loi, C., Kuijpers, M., Ensslin, A., & Lauer, G. (2023). Paths to transformation across contemporary reading practices: The role of motivations and genre preferences .Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000622

Second Blogpost on Impacts of Wattpad

posted by Sana Asghar

Reading has changed dramatically in the modern era from being limited to the pages of printed books. The advent of digital fiction and storytelling platforms such as Wattpad has enabled readers to traverse a variety of literary landscapes, each providing unique avenues for profoundly engaging reading experiences. Numerous scholarly investigations endeavour to examine the complex interactions between reading motives and genre preferences, elucidating how these factors influence the transforming quality of the reading experience. Digital platforms are largely responsible for the dramatic changes in the ways that tales are told, shared, and consumed in the quickly changing literary scene. Wattpad, a platform that has revolutionised modern reading patterns and democratised narrative, is at the vanguard of this digital literary revolution. This blog article explores Wattpad's significant influence, looking at how it promotes a worldwide literary community, democratises narrative, and shapes a variety of reading habits.

Transformative reading experiences in the digital age have been examined in numerous research. Loi et ell (2023) represents a noteworthy scholarly endeavour. It highlights the significance of engaging with a particular genre—dramas in particular—to encourage perceived transformational effects across a variety of reading habits, in addition to shedding light on the effects of multiple reading platforms. The study concludes that different reading practises have varied combinations of reading habits that predict reported transformation. On the other hand, regular drama consumption appears to be a reliable indicator of perceived change, indicating that narratives that centre on the inner lives and psychological insights of characters elicit deep emotional reactions and provoke introspective contemplation.

The study acknowledges the significance of hedonic incentives in text-based fictional narrative engagement, particularly in digitally native reading habits such as Wattpad and digital fiction. Because digital practises have ludic elements like interactivity and gamification, they score much higher on hedonic motives than book readers. According to the study, readers may have deep-rooted beliefs about why they should read, which are shaped by historical divisions between highbrow and lowbrow literature.

Interestingly, the study finds that readers of books have a different relationship between eudaimonia and hedonism than do users of digital content. Although book readers typically discriminate more between "fun reads" and "meaningful reads," newer digital practises indicate that pleasure and insight needs can frequently coexist in a single reading experience. One of the most important predictors of observed change in all reading habits is the involvement with drama, which is defined as concentrating on the inner lives and psychological insight of characters.

Following are some of the important impacts of Wattpad:

1. Democratizing Storytelling:

Wattpad has disrupted the traditional publishing model by providing a platform where aspiring writers can share their stories with a global audience without the constraints of traditional gatekeepers. The democratization of storytelling on Wattpad allows for a diverse range of voices to find expression, contributing to a more inclusive and representative literary landscape (Tompkins, 2015).

2. Global Community Building:

Wattpad unites readers and writers worldwide by bridging geographical divides. By bringing people together who are passionate about storytelling, the platform helps users from various cultural backgrounds feel like they belong and are supportive of one another (Duffett, 2013).

3. Interactive Storytelling:

The emphasis Wattpad places on participatory storytelling is one of its unique selling points. Through leaving comments on chapters, providing feedback, and even changing the course of a tale, readers can actively interact with writers. Reading becomes a dynamic and collaborative process as a result of this real-time contact, which also blurs the boundaries between authors and their audience (Vasalou, 2017).

4. Empowering Diverse Voices:

Wattpad has developed into a forum for disenfranchised writers, enabling them to tell their tales and give voice to underrepresented voices. The inclusion of various voices in literature fosters a more inclusive literary environment by providing readers with narratives that encompass a wider range of human experiences (Radway, 2018).

5. Fostering New Genres:

Novel and unusual genres that might not fit well with standard publishing have emerged because of Wattpad. The platform promotes exploration and innovation by providing readers with a wide range of literary possibilities, ranging from fan fiction to specialised genres (Moody, 2016).

6. Cultivating New Reading Habits:

Wattpad tales are formed to suit modern reading habits; they are frequently serialised and given in short chapters. Wattpad offers a structure that fits with the on-the-go lifestyle in a world where attention spans may be shorter, revolutionising how and when readers interact with literature (Konnikova, 2014).

7. Adaptations and Cross-Media Influence:

Wattpad's influence is felt in traditional media in addition to the digital sphere. Numerous tales on Wattpad have been made into films, television series, and other entertainment mediums. The platform's function as a storytelling incubator is validated by this cross-media influence, which also exposes Wattpad stories to audiences outside of its online community (Tarkov, 2019).

8. Literary Discoveries and Viral Phenomena:

Viral phenomena and literary discoveries have flourished on Wattpad. Stories that take off on the platform have the potential to become cultural phenomena very fast, drawing interest from traditional media outlets and publishers. This capacity to produce literary phenomena attests to Wattpad's impact on the development of popular culture (Wattpad, 2020).

Wattpad's impact on contemporary reading practices is far-reaching, from democratizing storytelling to fostering a global literary community and influencing diverse reading habits. As we navigate the digital era of literature, Wattpad stands as a beacon of innovation, inviting readers and writers alike to explore the limitless possibilities of the literary universe. Its influence not only transforms individual reading experiences but also contributes to the broader cultural landscape, solidifying its place as a revolutionary force in the world of literature.

References:

Duffett, M. (2013). "Social, Casual and Mobile Games: The Changing Gaming Landscape," Bloomsbury Publishing.

Konnikova, M. (2014). "How to Read on the Go." The New Yorker.

Moody, H. (2016). "Fanfiction as a literary form." American Literature, 88(4), 765-791

Radway, J. (2018). "Reading the Romance: Women, Patriarchy, and Popular Literature," University of North Carolina Press.

Tarkov, A. (2019). "From Wattpad to Hollywood: The Future of Fan Fiction and Fandom in the Age of Streaming." In: “Media, Communication, and the Global Network Society,” Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Tompkins, J. (2015). “Sonic Mirrors: Fanfiction, Viral Inheritance, and the Belonging of Fans,” Transformative Works and Cultures, 18. https://doi.org/10.3983/twc.2015.0627

Vasalou, A., & Joinson, A. N. (2009). "Me, myself and I: The role of interactional context on self-presentation through avatars." Computers in Human Behavior, 25(2), 510-520.

Wattpad. (2020). "Year in Review: Wattpad's 2020 Wrap-Up." Wattpad Blog. https://company.wattpad.com/blog/2020/12/17/year-in-review-wattpads-2020-wrap-up