button the email text window 6 in fig1 displays an email received by joe whatchamacallit from marilyn jones the im window 8 displays an im conversation which if its length exceeds the size of the im window 8 may include a scroll bar to allow the user to scroll through the conversation a text entrance box 40 which allows the user to enter text to send to a character a new button 42 which allows the user to create and or send a new im to a character by pressing the button and a reply button 44 which allows the user to reply to an im received from a character by pressing the button the im window 8 in fig1 displays a brief conversation between cheatingjoe and freshman84 u201c cheatingjoe u201d is a fictitious screen name which may in one embodiment be held and used by the same joe whatchamacallit to which the email in email text window 6 is addressed the web browser window 10 includes an address box 26 which allows a user to enter a web address into the box to access a corresponding real or fictitious world wide web page alternatively or in addition the user may click a link in an email that opens the web browser window 10 and directs the browser to the linked webpage the window 10 also includes back button 28 and forward button 30 which allows a user to navigate between web pages already visited the pager window 12 displays pager messages received by one or more characters in the story the options window 14 includes options that a user may browse and select regarding the software such as background colors and designs text fonts colors and sizes screen layout and size how the story is told e g.