MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name

Inner Writer

One-line solution summary.

An app to develop creative writing skills including feedback from an AI. Additionally it will be a way to share stories and identify writing issues in certain areas.

Elevator pitch

What is your solution?

It is an app where people will find a variety of creative writing challenges. For example, rewrite a classic fairytale or write an alternative ending to a story. When their piece of writing is finished, an AI will give feedback, in order for the person to improve. It is intended to be used as a tool for people to discover that writing can be an enjoyable and really cool. In addition to this, the app will have a "share your story feature" so if the author chooses to, they can publish their work and see other's work. So the app not only will be a way of telling a story, but a way to share it and learn about the stories from people all over the world.

It is also thought of as a tool for teachers to help their students with writing. The app will provide an accessible way for students to have their work checked and have fun prompts to use.

The stories submitted can be analyzed with an AI to determine writing problems a population could have: like grammar, spelling or communication issues.

What specific problem are you trying to solve?

According to The National Commission on Writing, between the three R's (Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic) writing is the most neglected skill.

Speaking from personal experience, in both, native and second or third language learning, writing is not given the importance it deserves, considering its functionality for higher education, working environments, and as a basic communication skill.

According to a survey done to employers by the Partnership for 21st-Century Skills, 26.2% of college students present a deficiency in writing skills. This is not only important for the job they're asked to perform, but it is essential to reach an optimal range of communication skills, which are indispensable for everyday life.

In my research, I've found that the main reason for this deficiency is the amount of practice it takes to improve writing. This means that students and teachers spend a long time in order to learn this skill. What Inner Writer is trying to do is provide a tool that makes the process more efficient and fun. It gives students the freedom to choose what they want to write about, which serves as a way of encouraging them, and gives the teacher the opportunity to help their students in the process, rather than just reading their works after and spending so much time doing so.

The National Commission on Writing-In America's Schools and Colleges.

Poor Writing Skills are Costing Businesses Billions

Who does your solution serve? In what ways will the solution impact their lives?

The app is intended to be used by students, specifically elementary and middle school students. By having regular writing practice incorporated to their school life, students will improve their current writing situation and they'll be able work on more complicated concepts to write about in high school or college.

However, since any story or writing prompt can lead to a unique story, everyone that can write can use it, regardless of their academic level. Because everyone has a story to tell, a unique story to give to the world, and that story can inspire millions around the globe.

So this tool not only serve students, it could serve anyone that wants to write and needs a way of starting, checking, and publishing it.

What steps have you taken to understand the needs of the population you want to serve?

I have been using a simplified version of the project. As of now, they're worksheets where kids can rewrite fairytales. This showed me that the main problem in writing is not that people don't want to practice it; it is the lack of encouragement and resources. For some people, it is nearly impossible to write without a prompt so by providing this tool they have a "what" to write about, a "where" to write, and an audience.

I've done research with my school and after-school activities community; in the majority of the cases I've come to the conclusion that kids are not taught to be independent writers. They learn to copy a stablished model, and even though this is a useful technique, it deprives them from learning what their own abilities include and they get stuck with the idea that only certain people can write stories.

Which aspects of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Improving learning opportunities and outcomes for learners across their lifetimes, from early childhood on (Learning)

Our solution's stage of development:

Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea

Explain why you selected this stage of development for your solution—in other words, what have you accomplished to date?

I've basically worked on research and different samples of the project. Everything in a simplify version since I don't have some of the resources to fully build the app.

I've created 8 worksheets with different stories and a small business plan to distribute this version of the project.

Where our solution team is headquartered or located:

Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico

Team Lead:

Paloma Ríos Gutiérrez