MEXICA : a computer model of creativity in writing

The goal of this research is to develop a computational model of the creative process of writing in terms of Engaged and Reflective States, which attempts to complement and extend previous models based on problem solving approach. The Engaged State can be described as a state in which the writer is intensely involved in the production of material related to the task. Such a production guided by tacit constraints (e.g. cultural background) relies on previous experiences and stored mental schemas, and avoids the use of deliberate planning and explicit story-structures to develop the tale. The Reflective State can be described as a state where the writer analyses and/or evaluates the current work and also deliberately explores and transforms a conceptual space. The main hypothesis of this research is that a cycle between the Engaged and Reflective States constitutes an important part of the creative process. MEXICA is a computer model designed to study the creative process in writing in terms of the cycle of engagement and reflection. It is designed to generate short stories about the MEXICAS (also wrongly known as Aztecs). MEXICA is a flexible tool where the user can set the value of different parameters to constrain the writing process and explore different aspects of story generation. In general terms the program consists of two main routines: the first, based on a set of previous stories defined by the user through a text file, creates a group of data-structures representing abstract story schemes in long-term memory; the second, refers to these schemes while following a cycle of engagement and reflection to create new stories. An evaluation of MEXICA indicates that it provides a suitable framework for the study of the Engaged and Reflective States although different improvements are needed to generate full complete stories.