(Re)Introducing Hypertext Storytelling in the Creative Writing Classroom with Ink/Inky and Twine

Candidate: Jeremy Andriano, Communuication and Culture Master's student

This thesis investigates two digital authoring platforms, ink/Inky and Twine, as tools for integrating hypertext and procedural authorship into traditional creative writing curricula. Such platforms are widely taught in specialized fields like game development and new media studies. Their adoption in traditional creative writing education remains limited. This study addresses that gap, exploring the pedagogical and creative affordances of these platforms. Drawing on platform studies, procedural authorship, and electronic literature, I examine how these tools influence writing, teaching, and the meaning of authorship. Through a comparative case study analysis of Inky and Twine, including their history, features, tutorial ecosystems, and associated notable works, this research identifies ways to incorporate these technologies into creative writing instruction. By demystifying digital tools and highlighting their value for fostering multimodal, interactive narratives, this study contributes to the broader goal of preparing students for the evolving landscape of storytelling in the digital age. Creative writing; Hypertext; Pedagogy; Procedural authorship; Interactive media; Game studies