# “hearing litoral voices / bearing literal traces”: Subliteral Narratives

> creative work by Joanna Howard, John Cayley

**Wikidata**: [Q132220884](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132220884)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/hearing-litoral-voices-bearing-literal-traces-subliteral-narratives

## Summary
“hearing litoral voices / bearing literal traces”: Subliteral Narratives is a work of electronic literature created by Joanna Howard and John Cayley in 2019. Distributed as a web page and application, the project utilizes the RiTa software toolkit to generate creative narratives.

## Key Facts
- **Authors:** Joanna Howard and John Cayley.
- **Publication Year:** 2019.
- **Genre:** Electronic literature.
- **Format:** Web page, application, and exhibit.
- **Software Engine:** RiTa (a software toolkit for processing English language).
- **Programming Language:** Q2005 (JavaScript).
- **Language:** English.
- **Identifiers:** ELMCIP ID 14977.
- **Instance of:** Creative work.

## FAQs
### Q: Who are the creators of this work?
A: The work is authored by Joanna Howard and John Cayley.

### Q: What software or technology powers “hearing litoral voices / bearing literal traces”?
A: The project is built using RiTa, a software toolkit designed for natural language processing, and is accessible via a web page.

### Q: When was the work published?
A: It was published in 2019.

### Q: What type of literary work is it?
A: It is classified as electronic literature, specifically functioning as a web-based application and exhibit.

## Why It Matters
This entry represents a specific intersection of computational creativity and literary arts within the field of electronic literature. As a collaboration between author Joanna Howard and digital poet/theorist John Cayley, it exemplifies how traditional narrative structures can be transformed through software. The use of RiTa—a toolkit specifically designed for writing and language analysis—highlights the technical shift in literature from static text to dynamic, programmable media.

Classified as both an exhibit and a creative work, it serves as a case study for how web applications function as vessels for literary expression. The specific title, playing on the homophones "litoral" (coastal) and "literal," suggests an exploration of the boundaries between text and meaning, a common theme in Cayley’s work. For researchers and readers, this work demonstrates the evolving definition of the "book" in the digital age, moving from physical pages to code-driven experiences. Its inclusion in the ELMCIP (Electronic Literature as a Model of Creativity and Innovation in Practice) database further solidifies its relevance as a documented piece of digital humanities history.

## Notable For
- **Collaborative Authorship:** It is a distinct collaboration between Joanna Howard and renowned electronic literature pioneer John Cayley.
- **Technology Stack:** It specifically employs RiTa, a noted open-source software toolkit for generative writing.
- **Genre Classification:** It spans multiple classifications, functioning simultaneously as a web page, a software application, and a literary exhibit.
- **Naming Convention:** The title features a unique stylistic use of slash punctuation and homophonic wordplay ("litoral" vs "literal").

## Body
### Classification and Nature
“hearing litoral voices / bearing literal traces”: Subliteral Narratives is an instance of a creative work and exhibit. It falls under the broad genre of electronic literature, a field that utilizes digital environments to deliver literary experiences. The work is authored by Joanna Howard and John Cayley and was released in 2019. It is written in the English language.

### Technical Specifications
The work is distributed via a web page format, making it accessible through standard internet browsers. Technically, it functions as an application. The underlying software engine driving the work is RiTa, a toolkit designed for generative literature and natural language processing. The programming language used for the work is identified as Q2005 (JavaScript).

### Metadata and Identifiers
The work is cataloged in the ELMCIP knowledge base under the ID 14977. This record serves as a primary reference for the work's authorship, publication date, and technical composition within the academic study of electronic literature.