Twine and Inky: A Hypertext Multi-tool for the Creative Writing Classroom
Proposal Type
Individual Talk
Location
Narratives & Worlds
Start Date
July 2026
End Date
July 2026
Abstract
Twine (twinery.org) and ink/Inky (inklestudios.com/ink) are both digital authoring platforms for creating and sharing hypertext games and stories. Each platform employs easy to grasp markup languages for interconnecting hyperlinks and structuring text in ways that can be hidden from the reader, empowering the author to use hyperlinks for rhetorical and aesthetic purposes beyond simple ‘next-page’ linking. Additionally, each platform includes a robust suite of tutorial materials and built-in functionality for implementing advanced programming logics and for stylizing the text’s appearance on the screen, and each platform publishes as easily sharable .html files that can be read using any web browser.
Despite these similarities, Twine and ink/Inky differ in significant ways that impact the style of the work and the author’s writing experience. More importantly, these differences are often complementary; the advantages of each platform address the shortfalls of the other. A hammer and screwdriver can both be used to fasten materials together, but they have slightly different purposes. Similarly, Twine and ink/Inky can each be used to create hypertext, but each may be better suited to some hypertext projects than others.
This paper explores how distinct advantages exhibited by Twine and ink/Inky help to demonstrate different conceptualizations of hypertext—spatial, temporal/performative, acquisitive, combinatorial, etc.—and the different modes of expression these conceptualizations make possible. By better understanding each platform’s unique benefits and limitations, we can form an expanded, complementary toolkit for teaching fundamentals of literary hypertext and procedural authorship in creative writing classrooms.
Keywords: Twine, ink/Inky, Procedural Authorship, Hypertext, Literary Hypertext, Creative Writing, Pedagogy, Digital Authoring Tools
Twine and Inky: A Hypertext Multi-tool for the Creative Writing Classroom
Narratives & Worlds
Twine (twinery.org) and ink/Inky (inklestudios.com/ink) are both digital authoring platforms for creating and sharing hypertext games and stories. Each platform employs easy to grasp markup languages for interconnecting hyperlinks and structuring text in ways that can be hidden from the reader, empowering the author to use hyperlinks for rhetorical and aesthetic purposes beyond simple ‘next-page’ linking. Additionally, each platform includes a robust suite of tutorial materials and built-in functionality for implementing advanced programming logics and for stylizing the text’s appearance on the screen, and each platform publishes as easily sharable .html files that can be read using any web browser.
Despite these similarities, Twine and ink/Inky differ in significant ways that impact the style of the work and the author’s writing experience. More importantly, these differences are often complementary; the advantages of each platform address the shortfalls of the other. A hammer and screwdriver can both be used to fasten materials together, but they have slightly different purposes. Similarly, Twine and ink/Inky can each be used to create hypertext, but each may be better suited to some hypertext projects than others.
This paper explores how distinct advantages exhibited by Twine and ink/Inky help to demonstrate different conceptualizations of hypertext—spatial, temporal/performative, acquisitive, combinatorial, etc.—and the different modes of expression these conceptualizations make possible. By better understanding each platform’s unique benefits and limitations, we can form an expanded, complementary toolkit for teaching fundamentals of literary hypertext and procedural authorship in creative writing classrooms.
Keywords: Twine, ink/Inky, Procedural Authorship, Hypertext, Literary Hypertext, Creative Writing, Pedagogy, Digital Authoring Tools
Bio
Jeremy Andriano explores the integration of digital authoring platforms in creative writing education. His research examines the impact of platforms like Inky, Twine, and Bitsy in reshaping the fundamentals of writing instruction. By using platform studies to analyze the unique features, developmental histories, and community dynamics surrounding these tools, Jeremy aims to illuminate how interactive digital narratives can be more effectively taught and integrated into curricula without requiring advanced programming skills. His research has broad implications for expanding digital literacy and fostering new forms of creative expression in educational settings.