Week 1 — What Is a Digital Story?

Overview of this week

• Syllabus
• Schedule
• Journaling
• Assignments / Projects overview
• Class Slack channel
• “Story of an Hour” (in-class)
• ChatGPT and world-building
• Watch Fargo

Notes

Attendance and late work

• You must communicate with me, ideally on Slack, to arrange for the completion of late or missed work.
• If you are over 5 minutes late to class more than two times in a row, you will receive an absence. Class will start on time.

Print Journal Practice (10% Participation)

In this course, I am introducing the use of a print journal or notebook. You are encouraged to use AI tools such as ChatGPT or Claude to develop ideas, learn techniques, brainstorm, and role-play story or play with story structure. The print journal is meant to protect a space for human creativity outside the computational environment. This journal is used in class and outside of class for sketching, diagramming, note-taking, outlining, and drafting. Its source is your own experience and imagination, helping ensure that AI supports rather than replaces your creative thinking. I will not collect or read these journals, but class discussions and activities will assume that this work has been done. Participation credit (10%) reflects being prepared through consistent journaling.

Brief talk

What is a Digital Story? Story forms, narrative theory/terms, storytelling and evolution, computers and storytelling, digital convergence, networks.

Storytelling tools and platforms

Source material

• Project Gutenberg
• Project Gutenberg: Terms of Use
• Reusing Gutenberg texts
• Creative Commons search
• Internet Archive

Digital images

• Image editing & illustration:
  • Adobe Photoshop / Illustrator (Creative Cloud)
  • GIMP — open-source alternative to Photoshop
  • Krita — digital painting, illustration, and comics creation
  • Inkscape — open-source vector graphics (Illustrator alternative)
  • Clip Studio Paint — industry-standard tool for comics and graphic storytelling
• GIF animation (from video):
  • EZGIF — fast, browser-based video-to-GIF conversion
  • FFmpeg — precise, high-quality GIF creation from video
  • Runway — AI-assisted video editing and looping
  • Canva GIF Maker — simple timeline-based GIFs with text and graphics
  • Adobe Express — lightweight alternative to Photoshop for GIFs

AI (recommended) Text Generation Tools

• ChatGPT (GPT-5) — conversational AI for writing, brainstorming, learning, and critique
• Claude — large language model well suited for long-form writing, analysis, and reflection
• Gemini — multimodal AI for text, images, research, and creative exploration

AI (optional): Image / Video / Audio Generation & Compositing Tools:

• MidJourney — image generation
• Vizcom — sketch to image generation
• RunwayML — video, image generation, and AI background removal
• Flow — generative video workflows
• Sora — text-to-video generation
• Suno — AI music generation
• ElevenLabs — AI voice and speech synthesis
• VideoBGRemover — AI video background removal (no green screen required)
• VEED — one-click AI video background removal
• Canva Video Background Remover (Pro) — AI video background removal + editing tools
• Adobe Express Video Background Remover — AI background removal + creative editing

Digital video / audio

• Video & audio editing:
  • Adobe Premiere Pro & Audition (Creative Cloud)
  • Audacity — open-source audio editing
• Web-based media:
  • HTML5 audio / video tags
  • JavaScript for video & audio (timelines, interaction, generative behavior)
  • Web Audio API and media libraries (with AI-assisted code generation)

Hypertext / hypermedia (Twine)

• Authoring & formats:
  • Twine 2 (desktop download) — standalone authoring tool for interactive hypertext narratives
  • Story formats: Harlowe, SugarCube, Chapbook (different scripting and design approaches)
  • HTML / CSS / JavaScript customization within Twine projects

Uploading to the server

If you do not have your own directory on the server, then Slack message me your projects (when necessary) and I will return a URL for you to post.

Cyberduck is recommended as a free FTP app for Mac and PC.

FTP = File Transfer Protocol

1. Open your FTP software.
2. Choose “Open Connection”.
3. Enter the following info:
   Server name: dtc-wsuv.org
   Username: first initial + last name + the year started ('18') + @dtc-wsuv.org (all lowercase, no spaces or symbols).
   Password: sent to your WSU email (can’t be changed).
4. If successful, you should be in your personal server directory (same name as your username).
5. Upload folders and files in all lowercase. You can always change names on the remote server.
6. Make sure the default page for the project folder is index.html.
7. Check the live absolute URL (example: http://dtc-wsuv.org/sjones18/blackbird/).
8. If images don’t show up, make sure file names and file paths are all lowercase. Servers are case-sensitive.
9. In the blog, post assignments with the URL linking to your project.

activity:

Who is Kate Chopin?

Read story in class: Story of an Hour, by Kate Chopin

• free indirect discourse: involves both a character's speech and the narrator's comments or presentation
• simple plots : circumstances change but the characters don't
• complex plots: change in circumstances produces change in characters
• tragic plot + modern subjectivity

• What is the story about?
• How would you characterize the narrative?
• Describe the plot.
• How would you segment the narrative into sections or "acts"?
• What is the "inciting incident" - the event that moves the narrative forward?
• What is the climax of the story?
• What is the resolution?
• How is suspense or anticipation created for the reader?
• What are the gaps in the story? What is left unsaid? And why are these important for the narrative effect?
• What are the important plot points - the points of change in the narrative?
• What are the important story elements - the parts of the narrative that reveal the inner transformation of the character, Louis?
• What is the exposition of Louise's past relationship with her husband - the backstory?

Generating Stories

Create a remix of "Story of an Hour.". Based on the premise or story structure and your own experience or just your imagination, create 3-5 short descriptions of your own "story of an hour." Change the genre. Make it your own.

Develop one of your ideas into a story summary (1-3 paragraphs).

Try using ChatGPT. or Claude to develop this idea.

1. Enter the story summary and ask the AI to summarize develop an outline you can work with.
2. Continue the chat with details, ask for suggestions.
3. Keep adding your creative input prompts to refine a new plot summary based on Story of an Hour
4. Share summaries with the class

Generating Stories

In-Class execises: bring journal

In-Class Activity: “But / Therefore” Story (South Park Rule)

• Goal: Turn a real moment from your life into a short story with clear cause-and-effect.
• Key idea: Avoid “and then.” Use only BUT and THEREFORE.

Step 1: Choose a Memorable Moment (2 minutes)

• Pick a real experience: getting lost, finding something, searching for something, waiting for something, trying to get somewhere.
• Write one sentence that begins the moment (no backstory).

Step 2: Build the Chain (8 minutes)

• Write 5–7 short sentences.
• Each sentence must begin with BUT or THEREFORE.
• No “and then.”
• Each sentence must change the situation (new obstacle, new choice, new consequence).

Step 3: End with Change (2 minutes)

• Write one final sentence that resolves the situation or leaves it clearly changed.
• No moral, no explanation—just the outcome.

Optional Quick Check

• Underline every BUT and circle every THEREFORE.
• Notice where the story actually moves.

In-Class Activity: Lynda Barry X-Page Exercise

For Students

• Get a blank piece of paper.
• On one side, draw a large X from corner to corner.
• Think of a moment from your life:
  • Something real.
  • Something you remember clearly.
  • It does not have to be important.
• Answer the questions I read aloud using words and short phrases only.
• Write anywhere on the page. Do not make sentences. he X does not divide the page by meaning. Write anywhere. The X simply breaks up space.
• Do not try to be interesting. Do not explain. Keep your pen moving.

1. Where are you?
2. What time of day or night does it seem to be?
3. What season does it seem to be?
4. Where is the light coming from?
5. What kind of light is it?
6. What’s the temperature like?
7. What does the air smell like?
8. How are old are you?
9. What are you doing?
10. Is there anyone else in that place with you?
11. What are they doing?
12. Why are you there?
13. What were you doing about two hours before?
14. What will you be doing in a few hours?
15. What are some of the sounds you can hear?
16. What are some of the things you can see?
17. What’s directly in front of you?
18. If you turn your head to your right, what’s there?
19. If you turn your head to the left, what do you see?
20. What is behind you?
21. What’s below you and around your feet?
22. What’s above your head?

Next: Story Writing

• When you finish the questions, turn the paper over.
• Start with with: "I am..." followed by where you are. First person.
• Without looking at the front again, write continuously for 8-10 minutes.
• If you get stuck, write what you can see, hear, or feel right now in the scene.

Screening

Lunch Date, by Adam Davidson (1990)

To Do By Tuesday Next Week

Read: The Poetics, by Aristotle (Bookie), about 60 pages

Watch: Fargo

Take notes: Track the changes of the two main protagonists (and others if you can). Write down changes in their outer circumstances and inner outlook.

Journal Prompt

In Fargo, how does the plot set in motion the actions and reactions of the main characters? What do these actions reveal about the inner lives of the characters, about their flaws and transformations? Identify and describe other characteristics of tragedy / tragic structure (from Aristotle's Poetics) that you observe in Fargo.