Welcome to Post Position. This website is what we call a “computer blog.”
More specifically, this is where I will post things, including my positions on interactive narrative, imaginative and poetic digital writing, the material history of computational media, and video and computer games. The subject matter will range from platform studies to minimalist poetry generation, and there will almost certainly be posts with critical takes on electronic literature, discussion of my own work on developing interactive fiction and an interactive fiction system, reflections on teaching this kind of thing at MIT, and many other types of wackiness. I might even write about plain old books that aren’t very directly connected to digital media matters. I might discuss non-computational academic matters, or offer materials from “old school” writing projects that I’m working on.
As many who wander here may know, I’ve been blogging for the past six years at Grand Text Auto. In posting and discussing things on this blog, I’ll certainly be influenced by that collaborative venture. Post Position won’t have the energy of that entire group, of course, the same broad community of readers, the same special projects, or the general job listings and announcements of other people’s events. But some things that flourished in that context should be found here are well: links to things online worth reading and playing, 1k (and longer) reviews of books (and probably other things), April Fools hoaxes and other pranks, discussion of my computational writing practice, and pieces of critical and polemical writing that wouldn’t easily fit elsewhere.
I’ll try to keep this space open for the sort of conversation, discussion, and even vigorous argument that Grand Text Auto has hosted. I’ll do whatever I can to make this an inviting space for those who want to comment. Unless the spammers end up winning, for instance, you will not need to register or take an elaborate test to have your comment appear, even if the moderation queue catches it for a short time.
I’ll say more soon, but for now, welcome.
“I’ll try to keep this space open for the sort of conversation, discussion, and even vigorous argument that Grand Text Auto has hosted.”
I vehemently disagree; you shouldn’t allow argument of any kind here! I am willing to argue this point if you wish, sir.
Good luck on the new venture. Looking forward to seeing what you start putting up here!
Thanks for the good wishes, Simon. I hope that your name and my blog title doesn’t call down torrents of auto part spam upon us.
Nick, Nice new digs. Look forward to continuing to read your insightful prose. Also, keep your couch open nights of July 20/21. We will be in Beantown. Booked tix this afternoon.
I am really excited about this weblog. I’ve always loved your posts on GTxA but I love your intention to narrow your focus more. This is going to be very cool.
William, I appreciate the note. The focus here might not be strictly narrower. For instance, I do plan to blog about plain old books of non-riddle poems for time to time here, and I haven’t been willing to do that on Grand Text Auto. But I hope you’ll find my ramblings interesting.
Scott, thanks – see you in about another two months!