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A roller-coaster ride to the edges of literature and philosophy
on the Web. Extend your writing into new and uncharted territories and see how
far the internet can push your personal limits. There is no map for this course
- each time it runs in a different direction dictated by the dynamic of the group
itself. This course includes a FREE induction week.
See the Gallery for examples
of work by students on this course.
Student Comments:
"I recommend Alan's course on Experimental
Writing for anyone wanting to discover the interface between writing and computers,
and who aren't afraid to lean a bit over the edge. Not for the faint of heart"
Student, 2001
"I'd thoroughly recommend this course to anyone and everyone interested in
writing. I found it vastly stimulating and productive. Any writer, from beginner
to the most experienced, would find it an invaluable way of pushing their limits.
Alan is a very skilful and generous tutor. Writers should be queuing up to get
on this one." Student, 2002
The tutor: Alan Sondheim
Alan Sondheim's books include the anthology Being on Line:
Net Subjectivity (Lusitania, 1996), Disorders of the Real (Station Hill, 1988),
and .echo (alt-X digital arts, 2001) as well as numerous other chapbooks, books
and articles. His video and films have been shown internationally. Sondheim co-moderates
several email lists, including Cybermind, Cyberculture, and Wryting. For the past
several years, he has been working on an "Internet Text," a continuous
meditation on philosophy, psychology, language, body, sexuality, and virtuality.
Sondheim lives in Brooklyn and Miami and teaches at Florida International University;
he lectures and publishes widely on contemporary art and Internet issues. In 1999,
Sondheim was the second virtual writer-in-residence for trAce. He is currently
Associate Editor of the online magazine Beehive, and has assembled a special topic
for the America Book Review on Codework. His video/soundwork has been recently
screened at Millennium Film (NYC), as well as Western Ontario and York Universities
(Toronto). He currently works on video with his partner Azure Carter, and soundwork
in live and recorded performance.
Internet Text at http://www.anu.edu.au/english/internet_txt
Partial at http://lists.village.virginia.edu/~spoons/internet_txt.html
trAce Projects at http://trace.ntu.ac.uk/writers/sondheim/
CDROM of collected work 1994-2000/1 available: write Sondheim at sondheim@panix.com.
This course is 10 weeks including a FREE Induction
Week.
XE.com Personal Currency
Assistant
Register for this course
| Series |
Starting Date |
Early Bird Booking Deadline
(Price £140) |
Booking Deadline
(Price £160) |
Ending Date |
| 4 |
21st April 2003 |
14th March 2003 |
14th April 2003 |
29th June 2003 |
The aims of this course are:
1. To experiment with writing style and content in a wide
variety of ways.
2. To better comprehend experimental writing and "avant-garde" work.
3. To discuss and evaluate your own work in this regard.
4. To look at experimental work all over the Internet.
5. To get excited all over again about the wonder of writing!
Contents
We will visit dozens of websites and discuss them through
chat, email and discussion postings. We will read a variety of articles I will
post to the class. We will discuss your own work in this regard.
Typical Reading
Background Reading: None required. We will reference the
work of such people as Talan Memmott, Espen Aarseth, Mez, and numerous others
working to extend literature in new directions. I will send out a list of recommended
books early in the course, but none are necessary. Websites will include net-art.org,
www.eusocial.com, and the websites of the Webartery group.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course you should
have:
1. Experienced a range of experimental websites.
2. Improved your own writing and felt out your own limits.
3. Produced a body of work reflecting new directions.
4. Become familiar with the ways experimental literature is distributed via the
Web.
Typical assessments
Assignments will only be suggested; we will work with continuous
discussion and presentations, geared to the speed of the student.
The following are suggestions:
1. Write something in a style you hate.
2. Write something beyond your limits.
3. Write something in a style you fear.
4. Write or produce something performative - which is dynamic one way or another
(we will explain this in class).
5. Discuss any literature or author you consider experimental.
6. If you believe in manifestos, write one.
7. Do you believe in engaged (political) literature? If so, elaborate.
8. Work on a project which "pushes" writing in a new direction, or a direction
new for you.
Pre-requisites for this course
You will need to:
- Be able to use search engines
- Be familiar with use of a browser
- Be interested in experimentation
- Be able to write and understand English reasonably fluently
- (desirable) Have a familiarity with web-based discussions or mailing lists
- Be prepared to participate intensively - this course is driven by the students
and works best when everyone posts and reads at least 3 times a week
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