Electronic literature goes by many names, like hypertext, cybertext, hypermedia, and transmedia. Each of these labels has slightly different connotations, and each has its passionate defenders. One reason that electronic literature is known by so many names is that it is a relatively new art form, and its definition is still evolving.

There is, however, agreement on one important characteristic: electronic literature is "born digital." That is, works of electronic literature are designed and created for a digital format.

They are not simply print literature that's been uploaded to devices. In other words, Harry Potter doesn't become electronic literature the minute you read it on your Kindle.

In general, electronic literature takes advantage of a wide range of digital capabilities. For example, it often incorporates text, images, and sound in complementary ways. In addition, electronic literature often allows readers to interact with the work in some way.

At the same time that electronic literature attempts to take advantage of the full breadth of its medium, it also attempts to employ characteristics that might, in print form, be recognized as "literary" or "artistic." But I'm putting those terms in quotation marks for a reason, as their definitions are surely no less elusive than the definition of electronic literature.

Experiencing Electronic Literature

If you're new to electronic literature, you might find it disorienting at first. Some electronic stories offer a pretty clear path to follow. With others, however, you have to get comfortable not knowing exactly where you are, what you've missed, and how much more material might be ahead of you.

Some works of electronic literature are meant to be cyclical, so they don't have a clear ending. That is, they end when you've had enough and decide to stop reading. Others are collaborative works-in-progress that are perpetually growing.

In almost all cases, you should expect to have to click on something in order to navigate through the work. Sometimes, the electronic work will give you instructions. Other times, you'll just have to move your mouse until you figure out where the links are.

Where to Find Electronic Literature

One of the best resources for exploring electronic literature is the Electronic Literature Organization. They maintain a directory of electronic literature that includes works in several languages. You can search for individual works, or you can browse by title or publication year.

If you want suggestions for where to start, you might take a look at one of my favorites, Christine Wilks' elegantly constructed "Tailspin." Or try one of the episodes of the darkly compelling "Inanimate Alice."

What's New Is (Actually Kind of) Old

For anyone who's accustomed to print (and that’s all of us, right?), electronic literature can seem like a different beast entirely. But as you become familiar with it, you might find it's not so different after all.

Discussions of literary quality apply to electronic literature as much as they do to print. Arguments about genre (when does a short story become a novella? when does a novella become a novel? where do you draw the line between poetry and prose?) apply as well.

Of course, sometimes these arguments might take a slightly different shape. For instance, what is the difference between an electronic story and a video game adventure, given that electronic stories have interactive components and video games sometimes have strong narrative lines? But the nature of these literary questions still seems fundamentally the same to me.

Perhaps most compellingly, as the Electronic Literature Organization's wonderful directory of antecedents indicates, authors around the globe have been playing with hypertext and interactivity since before the dawn of the computer age. Now they simply have more advanced tools with which to pursue their experiments.