The Destination

Design Issues

 

The biggest problem I had while working in this project was how to design it. I wondered how I would keep the integrity of the stanzas and line breaks within the lexias. But, in the end, I left that behind for bigger design issues, feeling that that issue was more literary, and I could always change line breaks more easily than the design later on. I knew I wasn't going to attempt rhyme; I have never cared much for rhyming poetry. And rhyme is too difficult to relate in a hypertext unless the links are limited to certain cycles, which I didn't want to do.

In the poem, Moving List, I struggled with making the lexias containing the lists I wrote jump down on the page for each new item on the list. When I tried this, I only succeeded in confusing the reader and hurting their eyes. After I solidified the design of making all lexias start on the same line, I debated whether to have each of the three poems reside in a different space on the page, such as left, center, or right. This, however, only served to confuse the reader even more. I made all lexias flush left, indented once so the text wasn't right up against the screen's edge.

I knew I was going to design using white text on black background after I saw Hypertext Gardens, by Mark Bernstein. I have to say that this is my favorite piece of hypertext, in that it is a perfect combination of writing, theory, and design. Form definately follows function in that text, plus the function is interesting and easily understood.

Then I had to choose how I would make links within my three texts. At first I had chosen textual links based on certain words, because that's what I was most familiar with. Then I realized that I had not left connections to my photographs, and I felt that the textual links were disturbing the design, so I changed all of my links to graphic images underneath the lines of poetry. Good thing I had somewhat mastered the art of tables!

I made thumbnail-size images of the three photos I felt best represented the three poems I was using, plus an image to use as a default link, and another one for good measure (and because I liked it...). I placed the same images at the bottom of each lexia, and decided that, when possible, I would try to make the picture I had chosen to represent each poem in its title page actually link to that poem. While this didn't always work, it was an attempt at regularity for the reader not accustomed to reading hypertextually. In any case, there is always the default reading.

Near what I thought to be the end of my work on this project, I realized that I still had about eight more photographs that I had scanned to use. After getting input from Dave Carillo, a classmate who happened to be in the lab the Sunday I was furiously trying to finish, I decided to create a subtext for the poems that would include the photos with captions. I wanted to give a bit more history to the poems than what the poems actually give. I hope this is not distracting to the reader, and I hope that it adds meaning to the poems.

Decisions, decisions. I found that I had used too many links to the same lexias, so I went through my project (about the seventh time opening each of approximately 60 lexias) to change them to new images and subtext. Within the subtext, I wanted to give the reader the option of being passive or active in the reading, so there is usually the choice to click further or let a client pull bring a new lexia to view. I really began to see the tediousness of this project, especially working in Front Page Express (what is available free in the computer labs at Virginia Commonwealth University). At least in Front Page I could have changed entire design features with just a couple clicks of the mouse. Next time.

And now, here I am. Not nearly finished, wanting to make this my thesis, to incorporate all of my poems (most of which center on moving, driving, and my fascination with nostalgia). Oh lawd, the technical nightmare! I'll have to think about that one for a while.