One Story Magazine presents: Interactive Fiction with Nat Mesnard | Virtual

Learn more and how to register at the event url below.

In interactive fiction, we add an element to the practice of storytelling that changes everything: choice. Whether you’re talking about video games, immersive theater, choose your own adventure novels, or the avant garde, a world of creative possibility opens up when you offer your readers this freedom. As a writer and game designer, playing with experimental, interactive forms has taught me so much about my “traditional” literary short stories. It has also invited me to bring literary depth to the expanding world of games. This journey into the nonlinear narrative woods has been a source of creative delight and constant inspiration for me throughout my life as a writer—and I’m eager to share it with you.

While interactive fiction takes many forms, in this class we’ll focus on building a short interactive story using a tool built for creative writers: Twine. This browser-based app allows you to create interactive stories without writing code. Through videos, slideshows, online lectures, and message board discussions, I’ll teach you how to use Twine, while also enticing you to play with and think about interactive fiction craft. By the end of the week, you’ll have written a first, complete draft of an interactive story that you can choose to release online or use as the starting point for any number of future interactive works created on your own.

This online class meets on your schedule. Each day, the next class will be automatically uploaded. You can log in any time to access the materials, watch videos, read about interactive fiction design, and continue to develop your story prototype. Have a question? Jump into the discussion boards and I’ll post an answer to the group. You’ll also be able to share your work with fellow students and connect with writers across the globe. If you fall behind—no worries!—all the class materials will be left up for an additional month for you to catch up.