Electronic literature, generally considered to exclude print literature that has been digitized, is by contrast "digital born," a first-generation digital object created on a computer and (usually) meant to be read on a computer.
This definition is important because it shows the main difference. "Digital born" means the work is made on a computer and for the computer from the very beginning. A normal book that you put on a screen is still a book. You can print it, and it stays the same. But electronic literature is different. It is like its DNA is made of code. The story and its meaning are created together with the computer's help. It often uses links, animations, or lets the reader make choices. So, it's not just a book you read on a screen. It is a new kind of art that needs the computer to live. This changes not just how we read, but also how writers create stories.