And the visual tradition.

•Pictographs•Petroglyphs•Hieroglyphs? •Logographic writing•Ideograms (though these

were usually one-symbol representations of whole words)

The visual dimension of language

and writing has always been of use

and interest.

And you probably remember

…the pleasure you took as a kid, when you were just learning to “make your letters.”

Most of us don’t pay much attention to the visual aspect of language anymore, but, for concretists and new media writers, it’s vital.

““Concrete poetry’s most conspicuous feature is its attention to the visual Concrete poetry’s most conspicuous feature is its attention to the visual appearance of the text on the page” (Drucker 110).appearance of the text on the page” (Drucker 110).

Like oral poetry, it returns us to the Like oral poetry, it returns us to the roots of meaning-making with roots of meaning-making with language?language?

““In its most generic In its most generic application, the term application, the term ‘concrete ‘concrete

poetry’ is used to designate all manner of poetry’ is used to designate all manner of shaped, typographically complex, visually shaped, typographically complex, visually self-conscious poetic works. The term ‘visual self-conscious poetic works. The term ‘visual poetry’ is more general and thus more aptly poetry’ is more general and thus more aptly used to describe aused to describe a

history which is as old as writing history which is as old as writing itself” (Drucker).itself” (Drucker).

Go to Go to New Media Presentationwww.ndsu.edu/instruct/cinichol/www.ndsu.edu/instruct/cinichol/

CreativeWriting/323/CreativeWriting/323/NewMediaPresentation.htmNewMediaPresentation.htm

(view this page up to (view this page up to New New Media: Concrete/Visual Media: Concrete/Visual Writing for the 21st Writing for the 21st Century)Century)

New Media PoetryNew Media Poetry

What makes electronic writing

S p e c i a l ?

Some of the first Some of the first characteristics we noticed characteristics we noticed about “computer writing”:about “computer writing”:

• Very easily manipulated text.Very easily manipulated text.

• Utilitarian functions: storage, annotation, Utilitarian functions: storage, annotation, word processing word processing

• Reader interaction.Reader interaction.

• Circumvention of commercial control.Circumvention of commercial control.

• The LINKED NODE.The LINKED NODE.

Suddenly….written text was no longer

LINEAR!LINEAR!

Thus we Thus we havehave

HOMEPAGE

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Far distant reaches

of the WebDictionary

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OfficialOrganization

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The 80s saw some great experiments with hypertext, in particular…

Michael Joyce’s electronic novel, Afternoon, A Story and other Eastgate work.

(View portions of Joyce’s novel.)

This was, and still is, resisted.

But, then, so was the printed word itself, which some ancient Greeks thought was an innovation that signaled the death of civilization (loss of memory skills…)!

Every big paradigm shift has been resisted and considered a

degrading of what came before.

It’s apparent now thatIt’s apparent now thatnew media allow for a whole wealth ofnew media allow for a whole wealth of

Let’s return now to New Media Presentation

www.ndsu.edu/instruct/cinichol/www.ndsu.edu/instruct/cinichol/CreativeWriting/323/CreativeWriting/323/

NewMediaPresentation.htm NewMediaPresentation.htm

New Media PerformanceNew Media PerformanceInstructionsInstructions

Present to the class some form of visual poetry, whether electronic or Present to the class some form of visual poetry, whether electronic or hardcopy.hardcopy.

Presentation should include showing the piece as well as some Presentation should include showing the piece as well as some narration, roughly 5-10 minutes. You can talk to us about what you narration, roughly 5-10 minutes. You can talk to us about what you were aiming for, what problems and successes you had, what were aiming for, what problems and successes you had, what possibilities the piece suggests to you for future work.possibilities the piece suggests to you for future work.

CriteriaCriteria

Materials should be VISIBLE.Materials should be VISIBLE. Materials should Materials should workwork properly. properly. Materials and narration should be well-REHEARSED.Materials and narration should be well-REHEARSED. Piece should be Piece should be

o EngagingEngagingo InventiveInventiveo Of adequate complexity and interestOf adequate complexity and interesto Without sentimentalityWithout sentimentality

The Visual DimensionThe Visual Dimension