Serena Puang is a freelance journalist who writes about accessibility, culture, language, education, and their intersections. She is currently based in Seoul, South Korea. If you’d like to pitch me a book, please read more about my book preferences here.
You can get in touch here.
Feature writing:
First person reported features
- New York Times: Living With Aphantasia, the Inability to Make Mental Images
- Yale Daily News Magazine: Between Lee Isaac Chung and Me
- Yale Daily News: “I had to choose between my education and my safety”: How Yale’s withdrawal and readmission policies leave students no choice but to stay.
Straight reported features:
- Chronicle of Higher Education: As Colleges Strive for a Return to Normal, Students With Disabilities Say, ‘No Thanks’
- One Day Magazine: For Disadvantaged Students, College Debt Leaves No Margin for Error
- NBC Asian America: Asians in U.S. share reasons they’re now looking at opportunities abroad
Opinion
- New York Times: Affirmative Action is in Peril and Model Minority Stories Don’t Help
- Boston Globe Magazine: In High School I Participated in Debate. Then, I Saw its Ugly Side
I also write a bi-weekly column about books and culture for the Yale Daily News called “Reading the Room.”
Essays/Cultural Criticism:
- Boston Globe: A dystopian America that feels close to home (a review of “Our Missing Hearts” by Celeste Ng)
- Boston Globe: From immigrant son to superhero in ‘We Were Dreamers’ (PDF on pg 2.) globe-may-8Download
- Taiwanese American: For a Better Life, Move to Taiwan
- Taiwanese American: Chewing on Home: Boba, Authenticity, and Identity
Boston Globe
During my 12 weeks in Boston, I wrote over twenty stories ranging from Q&As (I interviewed Chris Evan about “Lightyear” and his viral Boston accent slip) to in depth reported features (my favorites linked below). In addition to pitching over half my own stories, I also pitched, reported, and produced a reported audio feature about English teachers of color in Asia as part of the AAJA Voices program. If you want more information about my time in Boston, you can check out this archive of my work or my Boston Globe author page.
- I tried every mochi doughnut shop in Boston. Here’s what you need to know.
- Theatrely’s stage reviews, news, and TikToks speak Gen Z’s language
- Kirstin Chen’s new novel explores the model minority myth through a counterfeit handbag scheme
IndyStar:
At IndyStar, I had the pleasure of previewing John Green’s new book, writing about the state fair, and so much more. During my internship, I primarily focused on underserved communities, and I developed my style of intensely reported service journalism. For more of my stories from IndyStar, check out my author page.
- From milkshakes to animal yoga: 14 best date ideas for the Indiana State Fair (PDF)
- From illicit graffiti to corporate murals, the evolution of street art in Fountain Square (PDF)
- Coroner by day, fair vendor by night wants to make BBQ and doughnuts the Taste of the Fair (PDF)
But can you write fast?
Though my freelancing and internships have focused on feature writing and cultural criticism, I have worked some breaking news shifts and been sent out for man-on-the-street reporting. Here are some stories I wrote in a couple of hours.