Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA
Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing, Portland State University
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Co-authored Articles (48)
How to
Write an Appendix
Like the appendix in a human body, an appendix contains information that is supplementary and not strictly necessary to the main body of the writing. An appendix may include a reference section for the reader, a summary ...
How to
Write a Table of Contents
The Table of Contents in a document acts as a map for the reader, making it easier for them to find information in the document based on title and page number. A good Table of Contents should be organized, easy to read a...
How to Annotate a Book or Textbook
A guide to dissecting and analyzing a text for school or funAnnotating is all about connecting with a text. It allows you to express your feelings, thoughts, and emotions while reading to make deeper, more insightful con...
How to Wear a Graduation Gown
A guide to wearing your cap, gown, & hood the right way You’ve studied hard and are now ready to graduate from university. But you have no idea how to put on the academic gown, how to get the graduation hood to lie pro...
How to
Write a Biography
Writing a biography can be a fun challenge, where you are sharing the story of someone’s life with readers. You may need to write a biography for a class or decide to write one as a personal project. Once you have iden...
How to
Find a Catchy Title for Your Paper/Essay
Make your essay a must-read with our title adviceComing up with an effective title can end up being the most difficult part of your essay. A catchy title can make your paper stand out from the pile and give your reader a...
How to
Use Contractions
In common speech, we use contractions all the time. “Don’t run in the hallways,” “I can’t get this bottle open,” “She won’t stop texting during the show.” Many grammar experts argue for the use of contr...
How to Read Faster & Retain More Information
A step-by-step guide to figuring out & increasing your reading speed Learning how to read fast, or speed read, can be a useful skill if you are trying to get through a reading list quickly or go through a long text. Befo...
How to Find Unique Names for Your Characters
Give your characters names your readers won't forgetStudies show that the coolest, happiest, brightest name is Olivia. Are you tired of using the same rotation of names for the characters in your stories? Do you feel lik...
How to
Write a Musical
Write your own script and score for the theatre with our complete guideWriting a musical can seem like a daunting task, especially if you are a fan of the genre and are trying to create one for the first time. You may de...
How to
Write a Ballad
A ballad is a poem or song that tells a story. It should have a plot, characters, and a story arc. You may want to write a ballad for a class or as a fun writing challenge. Start by brainstorming ideas for the ballad. Th...
How to Write a Sestina: A Guide to Structure & Form
Explore this poetic form and useful writing prompts A sestina is a form of poetry that has thirty nine lines. It follows a pattern of repeating six words throughout the six stanzas of the poem. While a sestina may seem d...
How to Create and Develop a Fictional Character
Create a character with a dynamic story arc Creating a character for a story can be a daunting task, as you want your character to feel complete, complex, and relatable to your readers—just like living people. To accom...
How to
Write an Annotated Outline
Before you begin writing your research paper, you may be advised by your teacher to create an annotated outline. An annotated outline can help you organize the main points of your paper and ensure your research supports ...
How to
Write a Tanka Poem
Tanka (短歌 ''tan-kah'') poems are short poems that originated in Japan in the 13th century. They are five lines long and often convey deep feelings about nature, love, or desire. To write a tanka poem, start by brains...
How to
Write in First Person
Writing in the first person can be a fun challenge, allowing you to explore a first person point of view on the page. You may write in the first person in a short story, novel, or opinion piece. Creating an effective fir...
How to
Start a Compare and Contrast Essay
Compare and contrast essays are often assigned to students because they promote critical thinking, analytical reasoning and organized writing. A compare and contrast essay should look at a subject in a new way, with fres...
How to Perform Scansion in Poetry
Analyze the rhythm of a poem with these expert-backed stepsScanning a poem, also known as prosody, is the process of marking the stresses in a poem. You will need to note where the sound is stressed when the poem is read...
How to
Create a Fictional World from Scratch
Creating a fictional world can be a challenge, since you may not be sure where to begin. You may be creating a fictional world for a novel or for a series of books set in the same world. Start by detailing the setting (t...
How to
Write Quick Poems
Sometimes it can be challenging to sit down and write a poem in a short amount of time. You may be on a deadline for school or have a limited amount of free time to be creative on the page. You can write quick poems by c...
