"Writerly" Texts - The reader as a producer of the text.

Nielsen’s Views

Nielsen is a strong advocate of the benefits of hypertext reading.  He believes the authority of the author is diminished, as the latter no longer determines which sections readers need to read first.  It allows them the freedom to customise their reading to individual needs and learning styles.

The online fiction produces a “shared universe” type of story, where several authors can be writing stories set in the same fictional universe, with the same general background and many same characters.

Thus, the actual story will not have a traditional plot, rather it consists of “snapshots” of an underlying fictional construction.  The reader will then uncover more and more as he reads along.  In other words, he is able to pursue the types of plot and characters which he finds interesting.  It becomes somewhat like an exploration, as Nielsen put it.