Literary nonfiction in print has become a recognized part of the canon: essays, memoirs, chronicles, and speeches are regularly taught. Supreme Court decisions and Congressional hearings are even considered legitimate objects of study. Writing about travel, scientific inquiry, household management, religious conversion, and forced captivity are stock subjects in English departments.At the same time hypertext fiction, electronic poetry, and interactive online drama are embraced with great excitement. As long as the objects of study are both properly virtual and properly fictional, they belong in the department catalog.
But write about nonfictional forms of computational media and watch the puzzled expressions and polite dismissals begin.