FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES
ON
WEB FICTION
2004

Really Reading Women's Web Writing
A Celebration

key texts

Carolyn Guertin and Marjorie Coverley Luesebrink, 'The Progressive Dinner Party' Riding the Meridian, commentary by N. Katherine Hayles and Talan Memmott (follow 'diner' or 'archives' link).

This week it is over to you. The aim of the week's work is to encourage you to choose and 'really read' a piece of women's web writing.

before the class

Visit 'The Diner' if you haven't done so already, and browse. You will notice that there is a noble attempt to define the genre of the pieces, and you may wish to reflect on this. You may choose any genre for your reading.

Concentrate on one piece and prepare a short, 10 minute presentation for class on your chosen work.

Post your choice of work on the yahoo web site, so we can all read each piece beforehand.

questions to address

• Who is the author?
• What is the piece saying? Can you identify a main question, theme, topic, or narrative?
• Concentrate on this one: What methods and strategies does she use to convey her ideas? Think about such traditional literary concepts as metaphor, narrative structure, imagery and so on, as well as new media concepts of image-use, movement and hypertext. Think about some of the provocative and fruitful ways of reading digital fiction that you all developed last week, and don't forget Katherine Hayles' comment from Writing Machines.
• If you have time: What is the reading process like? Are you getting any closer to identifying and extending ideas on new media reading/viewing/browsing?

Allow other texts to make critical interventions into your reading: use paper fiction, theoretical work, our class exercises, the questions and hints from the 'Patchwork Bodies' worksheet.

in class

Each person will have 15-18 minutes - which includes discussion time - so come to class with a short and pithy 10 minute presentation on 'Really Reading your piece'. We will have internet access in class.

secondary reading

You don't really need me now. Continue to utilise the bibliography; read about Judy Chicago's work; follow your own work patterns.