In “Electronic Literature,” Scott Rettberg says that “the computer is essential to the performance of the literary activity.” This line really made me stop and think. I never thought of literature as something that needed a computer to exist. For me, literature was always about printed books, paper, and words. But Rettberg shows that for many writers today, the computer isn’t just a tool for typing. It is part of how the story comes to life.

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Some stories or poems online couldn’t even exist without technology. They might move, play sounds, or let the reader make choices that change the story. In that way, the computer becomes part of the art. It is not just helping to present the story, it actually is the story. I find that really interesting because it changes how we think about what literature can be.

As an exchange student here at SDSU, I notice how natural it feels for people my age to experience stories through screens. We already read so much online every day — from messages to social media to news. So when literature also moves into the digital world, it feels like a natural step. At the same time, it feels strange because it is not the quiet kind of reading I grew up with. You have to click, listen, or watch. It becomes something more active.

What I liked most about Rettberg’s idea is that it connects people. The computer becomes a space where writers and readers meet in a new way. The writer is not only telling a story but also designing an experience. And the reader is not just reading but also taking part in it.

I still love holding a real book in my hands, but I think this new kind of literature shows how creative storytelling can be today. It makes me curious about what will come next. Maybe in the future, literature will not be something we just read, but something we actually experience together.