I’ve started a small self-study course exploring notable works of interactive fiction. It is inspired by approaches in other media where intermediate creators study the greats in order to sharpen their craft, like “great books” series, master studies in art ateliers, film director ouvre studies, or chess grandmaster game studies.
The course is focussed on practicing IF craft. Each exercise involves structured play of a specific game, followed by related writing, design and implementation exercises. It is aimed at creators with some IF experience. I’m keeping an open mind about what counts as “interactive fiction”, and I plan to focus on works in the last decade or so, but not exclusively so.
I’m also working through the material myself; part of the project is to improve my own IF writing skills. It felt natural to share the exercises. I’m keen to link to other people doing the exercises as part of a community of learners.
The course is free, web-based and self-paced, with no deadlines and no affiliations to a platform or institution. It’s just a regular creative activity, done in public or private, and you can use whichever IF system you’re comfortable with. I have a long list of works I want to explore, and plan to have a new exercise every month or fortnight. I welcome feedback and suggestions.
I’ve made an effort to make the course accessible, including support for screen readers.
You can find it here: Interactive Fiction Study Course (There is also an RSS feed if you like updates that way.)