[2603.00452] Texterial: A Text-as-Material Interaction Paradigm for LLM-Mediated Writing

Computer Science > Human-Computer Interaction arXiv:2603.00452 (cs) [Submitted on 28 Feb 2026] Title:Texterial: A Text-as-Material Interaction Paradigm for LLM-Mediated Writing Authors:Jocelyn Shen, Nicolai Marquardt, Hugo Romat, Ken Hinckley, Nathalie Riche, Fanny Chevalier View a PDF of the paper titled Texterial: A Text-as-Material Interaction Paradigm for LLM-Mediated Writing, by Jocelyn Shen and 5 other authors View PDF Abstract:What if text could be sculpted and refined like clay -- or cultivated and pruned like a plant? Texterial reimagines text as a material that users can grow, sculpt, and transform. Current generative-AI models enable rich text operations, yet rigid, linear interfaces often mask such capabilities. We explore how the text-as-material metaphor can reveal AI-enabled operations, reshape the writing process, and foster compelling user experiences. A formative study shows that users readily reason with text-as-material, informing a conceptual framework that explains how material metaphors shift mental models and bridge gulfs of envisioning, execution, and evaluation in LLM-mediated writing. We present the design and evaluation of two technical probes: Text as Clay, where users refine text through gestural sculpting, and Text as Plants, where ideas grow serendipitously over time. This work expands the design space of writing tools by treating text as a living, malleable medium. Subjects: Human-Computer Interaction (cs.HC); Artificial Intelligence (cs.AI...