Problem Statement
Writers find it difficult to find inspiration and motivation to begin or continue writing.
Difficult because of:
- Writer's Block
- Burn-out
- Lack of time
- Human laziness
Observations & Interviews
1. History professor
- Who:
- Quote:
- Interesting Moment:
2. Communications instructor
- Who:
- Quote:
- Interesting Moment:
3. National Sci-Fi competition semifinalist
- Who: An undergraduate at Columbia University who works at Scholastic Inc. and the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. He was a semifinalist in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, a national science fiction writing competition.
- Quote: "there's so much stuff out there (most of which I don't need)"
- Interesting Moment: As a young semi-established writer, this person already has an established method of organizing and writing. It will be a challenge to create a useful tool for experiences writers, especially when habits are already ingrained. As we discussed in tutorial, targeting a niche, specific sector of writers may be more practical. Furthermore, because he already has an established workflow, it's not immediately clear what problems are more important than others.
4. Math student involved in a literary society
- Who:
- Quote:
- Interesting Moment:
5. Philosophy student who composes creative writing
- Who: An undergraduate student at brandeis university who studies philosophy and frequently write papers as part of the coursework. Her area of interest include religion and artificial intelligence. She also like to write poetry and short stories as a hobby in her spare time.
- Quote: "The biggest problem writer's have is Writer's block - you have something in mind but it just refuse to come out."
- Interesting Moment:
User Classes
1. Professional writers
Characteristics
- Does writing as a career
- Have a preferred writing style and writing genre
- Have a lot of knowledge and experience in their field of interest
Interviewees
- History professor
- Communications instructor
- Media Lab professor
2. Amateur writers
Characteristics
- Does writing as a hobby
- May have a preferred writing style and genre but is open to new ways to write
- Have a variety field of interest but may not have in depth knowledge
Interviewees
- National Sci-Fi competition semifinalist
- Math student involved in a literary society
- Philosophy student who composes creative writing
User Goals 1: Professional writers
- Focus on field of interest
- Fresh ideas beyond established experience
- Creative ways to express ideas
User Goals 2: Amateur Writers
- Ability to write quick, non-committed narratives
- Exposure to broad array of interests
- Minimal time commitment
Summary
- write('now') will help both professional and amateur writers generate ideas for their writing.