SHSU Professor creates interactive poetry app

HUNTSVILLE , Texas (KBTX) - Sam Houston State University Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, Editing, and Publishing Ginger Ko recently released a new book of poetry titled “Power On.” But this isn’t just your average poetry book.

Her book combines elements of new media, interactive storytelling, and digital humanities through the use of a free interactive smartphone app meant to be used as a companion to the reading experience.

“Experiencing writing and media in a multimedia format, with sound and video, and music sometimes, seems like the future of media consumption to me,” Ko said. She said she wanted a way to push the specific genre of poetry in a similar direction.

Ko has been writing poetry since she was five years old.

“English wasn’t my first language. My family spoke Mandarin, so I would set up little homework assignments for myself. I would practice writing poems and observations and that’s how I introduced myself to writing,” Ko said.

On the home page of the app, it explains how it works as an extension of Ko’s poetry book. First, users can select which poem they’d like to work with. Then, they will follow the steps the app presents them with, like uploading a background photo or video. Ko said these steps are inspired by activists from the disabled community who have struggled in the past when using systems of technology.

Professor Ko hopes her project inspires others to create their own multimedia works and share them online.

A full list of Professor Ko’s poetry can be viewed here.

You can learn more about “Power On” from Professor Ginger Ko by watching the full interview below: