Anything new here in story apps? A reflection on the storytelling mechanism across media

Abstract

This paper starts with a question of whether app storytelling is different by examining story apps alongside other platforms of storytelling. With an interdisciplinary approach, this paper constructs an original model of the storytelling mechanism. Based on the mechanism and with particular focus on the mechanical layer of storytelling in various media, this paper proposes an original typology of narrative texts. With demonstrations of four text positions in the typology, this paper shows that the narrative strategies used in story apps are evident on one or another platform of storytelling. The finding suggests that, although story apps can be approached with a focus on the touchscreen and its affordances, it is not necessary to pay attention to the touchscreen when we try to understand how story apps work. This is because those children's narrative texts can be studied and may be taught independently of the medium.