diff --git a/src/spellbind/str_values.py b/src/spellbind/str_values.py
index 6f86ec1..1676062 100644
--- a/src/spellbind/str_values.py
+++ b/src/spellbind/str_values.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def length(self) -> IntValue:
     def to_str(self) -> StrValue:
         return self
 
-    def format(self, **kwargs) -> StrValue:
+    def format(self, **kwargs: StrLike) -> StrValue:
         """Format this StrValue using the provided keyword arguments.
 
         Updates to self or any of the keyword arguments will cause the resulting StrValue to update accordingly.
@@ -106,6 +106,13 @@ def derive_from_many(cls, transformer: Callable[[Iterable[str]], str], *values:
             is_associative=is_associative,
         )
 
+    @classmethod
+    def str_of(cls, value: Any) -> StrValue:
+        if isinstance(value, Value):
+            return value.to_str()
+        else:
+            return StrConstant.of(str(value))
+
 
 def concatenate(*values: StrLike) -> StrValue:
     return StrValue.derive_from_many(_join_strs, *values, is_associative=True)