Stitch Bitch – Gilmer

Is it possible to like something and be confused by it at the same time? If so, that’s definitely how I felt about Shelley Jackson’s “Stitch Bitch.”  Jackson’s writing lost me at certain points but resonated deeply with me at others. Her theory on hypertext as this vast, uncharted land of opportunity to create and make new rules excited me. As an iMedia student, this writing just further expanded my conceptual thinking about the many forms of media.

My favorite quote from the reading:

“You can’t let other people decide what is important to think or write about. Other people are wrong. This is a good rule of thumb. (But also keep in mind that you are someone else’s ‘other people.’)”

I think this quote sums up her writing and the argument she was trying to make. I’m pretty sure Jackson was well aware that her writing style wouldn’t sit well with the masses, but that’s the effect she was going for. Reading material that goes against the grain is unsettling, but oh so good.

As humans, naturally we’re always trying to make sense of words, images, sounds, etc. and make a complete picture instead of evaluating and appreciating parts for what they are. Analyzing parts instead of the whole, isn’t a brand new concept, but it is one that isn’t utilized as much as it could be. As future producers of interactive media we can’t assume that our audience is going to interact with what we produce from start to finish (although we would like for them to). They have the power and option to partake in as much, or as little of what we put out there. If we keep this in mind when designing multimedia we will create pieces that are self-sufficient but also work in harmony with the other pieces. Well- designed content will give the audience a desire to explore further rather than a mere “compulsion to find out what happens next.”