Hypertext Fiction

Hypertext fiction is a form of electronic literature that uses hyperlinks to create a non-linear narrative, in which the reader typically chooses links to move from one node of text, or lexia, to the next, assembling a story out of a deeper pool of potential stories. Unlike a conventional novel, where the reader has no influence over how the plot unfolds, hypertext fiction gives each reader a different outcome depending on the choices made while moving through interconnected text segments. Although the term arose with digital technology and is associated with works published through platforms such as Storyspace, HyperCard, and later Twine, the underlying idea of a non-linear narrative predates it, as seen in earlier works such as Jorge Luis Borges's The Garden of Forking Paths and Julio Cortazar's Rayuela.