Volume VI Special Issue II February 2026

Name of Author : Jyoti Tripathi

Title of the paper : Hypertext and Interactive Fiction: The New Frontier of Narrative

Abstract: The rapid advancement of digital technology has profoundly reshaped literary production, circulation, and reception, giving rise to innovative narrative forms such as hypertext and interactive fiction. These digital narratives challenge traditional linear storytelling by incorporating non linearity, multimodality, and active reader participation. This paper examines the evolution, formal characteristics, and theoretical implications of hypertext and interactive fiction, positioning them as a significant new frontier in contemporary narrative studies. Drawing upon postmodern theory, reader response criticism, and digital narratology, the study analyzes how these forms redefine authorship, reader agency, and narrative coherence. Through discussion of early hypertext works and recent digital fiction including Twine narratives, interactive novellas, and narrative driven games this paper argues that hypertext and interactive fiction represent a paradigm shift in literary expression, reflecting the cultural, cognitive, and aesthetic transformations of the digital age.

Keywords : hypertext, interactive fiction, digital narrative, non-linear storytelling, contemporary literature

DOI :

Page Number : 219-221