diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2836596..f23eb80 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ struct drawable {
 private:
   using Storage = dyno::sbo_storage<16>;
   using VTable = dyno::vtable<
-    dyno::local<dyno::only<decltype("draw"_s)>>,
+    dyno::local<dyno::only<"draw"_s>>,
     dyno::remote<dyno::everything_else>
   >;
   dyno::poly<Drawable, Storage, VTable> poly_;
diff --git a/benchmark/any_iterator/dyno_generic.hpp b/benchmark/any_iterator/dyno_generic.hpp
index 23bb0c5..43545e5 100644
--- a/benchmark/any_iterator/dyno_generic.hpp
+++ b/benchmark/any_iterator/dyno_generic.hpp
@@ -66,9 +66,7 @@ namespace dyno_generic {
     int,
     dyno::local_storage<16>,
     dyno::vtable<
-      dyno::local<dyno::only<decltype("increment"_s),
-                             decltype("dereference"_s),
-                             decltype("equal"_s)>>,
+      dyno::local<dyno::only<"increment"_s, "dereference"_s, "equal"_s>>,
       dyno::remote<dyno::everything_else>
     >
   >;
diff --git a/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.2.cpp b/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.2.cpp
index 6a7fb15..a0d9178 100644
--- a/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.2.cpp
+++ b/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.2.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ static void BM_dispatch2(benchmark::State& state) {
   }
 }
 
-template <typename ...InlineMethods>
+template <char const* ...InlineMethods>
 using inline_only = dyno::vtable<
   dyno::local<dyno::only<InlineMethods...>>,
   dyno::remote<dyno::everything_else>
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@ using inline_only = dyno::vtable<
 static constexpr int N = 100;
 BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch2, inheritance_tag)->Arg(N);
 BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch2, inline_only<>)->Arg(N);
-BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch2, inline_only<decltype("f1"_s)>)->Arg(N);
-BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch2, inline_only<decltype("f1"_s), decltype("f2"_s)>)->Arg(N);
+BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch2, inline_only<"f1"_s>)->Arg(N);
+BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch2, inline_only<"f1"_s, "f2"_s>)->Arg(N);
 BENCHMARK_MAIN();
diff --git a/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.3.cpp b/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.3.cpp
index 8c5b7dd..55d8a22 100644
--- a/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.3.cpp
+++ b/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.3.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ static void BM_dispatch3(benchmark::State& state) {
   }
 }
 
-template <typename ...InlineMethods>
+template <char const* ...InlineMethods>
 using inline_only = dyno::vtable<
   dyno::local<dyno::only<InlineMethods...>>,
   dyno::remote<dyno::everything_else>
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ using inline_only = dyno::vtable<
 static constexpr int N = 100;
 BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch3, inheritance_tag)->Arg(N);
 BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch3, inline_only<>)->Arg(N);
-BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch3, inline_only<decltype("f1"_s)>)->Arg(N);
-BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch3, inline_only<decltype("f1"_s), decltype("f2"_s)>)->Arg(N);
-BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch3, inline_only<decltype("f1"_s), decltype("f2"_s), decltype("f3"_s)>)->Arg(N);
+BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch3, inline_only<"f1"_s>)->Arg(N);
+BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch3, inline_only<"f1"_s, "f2"_s>)->Arg(N);
+BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch3, inline_only<"f1"_s, "f2"_s, "f3"_s>)->Arg(N);
 BENCHMARK_MAIN();
diff --git a/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.4.cpp b/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.4.cpp
index d3cf7d3..7d926cf 100644
--- a/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.4.cpp
+++ b/benchmark/vtable/dispatch.4.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ static void BM_dispatch4(benchmark::State& state) {
   }
 }
 
-template <typename ...InlineMethods>
+template <char const* ...InlineMethods>
 using inline_only = dyno::vtable<
   dyno::local<dyno::only<InlineMethods...>>,
   dyno::remote<dyno::everything_else>
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ using inline_only = dyno::vtable<
 static constexpr int N = 100;
 BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch4, inheritance_tag)->Arg(N);
 BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch4, inline_only<>)->Arg(N);
-BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch4, inline_only<decltype("f1"_s)>)->Arg(N);
-BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch4, inline_only<decltype("f1"_s), decltype("f2"_s)>)->Arg(N);
-BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch4, inline_only<decltype("f1"_s), decltype("f2"_s), decltype("f3"_s)>)->Arg(N);
-BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch4, inline_only<decltype("f1"_s), decltype("f2"_s), decltype("f3"_s), decltype("f4"_s)>)->Arg(N);
+BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch4, inline_only<"f1"_s>)->Arg(N);
+BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch4, inline_only<"f1"_s, "f2"_s>)->Arg(N);
+BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch4, inline_only<"f1"_s, "f2"_s, "f3"_s>)->Arg(N);
+BENCHMARK_TEMPLATE(BM_dispatch4, inline_only<"f1"_s, "f2"_s, "f3"_s, "f4"_s>)->Arg(N);
 BENCHMARK_MAIN();
diff --git a/example/vtable_traits.cpp b/example/vtable_traits.cpp
index 1a7b026..f0f61c1 100644
--- a/example/vtable_traits.cpp
+++ b/example/vtable_traits.cpp
@@ -59,9 +59,7 @@ struct any_iterator {
   using Concept = Iterator<reference>;
   using Storage = dyno::remote_storage;
   using VTable = dyno::vtable<
-    dyno::local<dyno::only<
-      decltype("increment"_s), decltype("equal"_s), decltype("dereference"_s)
-    >>,
+    dyno::local<dyno::only<"increment"_s, "equal"_s, "dereference"_s>>,
     dyno::remote<dyno::everything_else>
   >;
   dyno::poly<Concept, Storage, VTable> poly_;
diff --git a/include/dyno/detail/dsl.hpp b/include/dyno/detail/dsl.hpp
index 664fa92..f1b2670 100644
--- a/include/dyno/detail/dsl.hpp
+++ b/include/dyno/detail/dsl.hpp
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@ namespace detail {
       return detail::delayed_call<string, Args&&...>{std::forward<Args>(args)...};
     }
 
+    static constexpr char storage_[] = {c..., '\0'};
+    constexpr operator char const*() const { return storage_; }
+
     using hana_tag = typename boost::hana::tag_of<boost::hana::string<c...>>::type;
   };
 
@@ -115,6 +118,21 @@ namespace detail {
   constexpr auto prepare_string(S) {
     return detail::prepare_string_impl<S>(std::make_index_sequence<S::size()>{});
   }
+
+  constexpr std::size_t constexpr_strlen(char const* s) {
+    std::size_t len = 0;
+    while (*s++ != '\0') ++len;
+    return len;
+  }
+
+  template <char const* s>
+  constexpr auto make_string() {
+    struct tmp {
+        static constexpr std::size_t size() { return detail::constexpr_strlen(s); }
+        static constexpr char const* get() { return s; }
+    };
+    return detail::prepare_string(tmp{});
+  }
 } // end namespace detail
 
 inline namespace literals {
diff --git a/include/dyno/vtable.hpp b/include/dyno/vtable.hpp
index 2d6951f..32b3aa7 100644
--- a/include/dyno/vtable.hpp
+++ b/include/dyno/vtable.hpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #define DYNO_VTABLE_HPP
 
 #include <dyno/concept.hpp>
+#include <dyno/detail/dsl.hpp>
 #include <dyno/detail/erase_function.hpp>
 #include <dyno/detail/erase_signature.hpp>
 
@@ -208,11 +209,11 @@ struct joined_vtable {
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Selectors
-template <typename ...Functions>
+template <char const* ...Functions>
 struct only {
   template <typename All>
   constexpr auto operator()(All all) const {
-    auto matched = boost::hana::make_set(Functions{}...);
+    auto matched = boost::hana::make_set(detail::make_string<Functions>()...);
     static_assert(decltype(boost::hana::is_subset(matched, all))::value,
       "dyno::only: Some functions specified in this selector are not part of "
       "the concept to which the selector was applied.");
@@ -223,11 +224,11 @@ struct only {
   }
 };
 
-template <typename ...Functions>
+template <char const* ...Functions>
 struct except {
   template <typename All>
   constexpr auto operator()(All all) const {
-    auto not_matched = boost::hana::make_set(Functions{}...);
+    auto not_matched = boost::hana::make_set(detail::make_string<Functions>()...);
     static_assert(decltype(boost::hana::is_subset(not_matched, all))::value,
       "dyno::except: Some functions specified in this selector are not part of "
       "the concept to which the selector was applied.");
@@ -251,12 +252,12 @@ namespace detail {
   template <typename T>
   struct is_valid_selector : boost::hana::false_ { };
 
-  template <typename ...Methods>
+  template <char const* ...Methods>
   struct is_valid_selector<dyno::only<Methods...>>
     : boost::hana::true_
   { };
 
-  template <typename ...Methods>
+  template <char const* ...Methods>
   struct is_valid_selector<dyno::except<Methods...>>
     : boost::hana::true_
   { };
@@ -389,12 +390,12 @@ constexpr auto generate_vtable(Policies policies) {
 // cumbersome. Selectors provided by the library are:
 //
 //  dyno::only<functions...>
-//    Picks only the specified functions from a concept. `functions` must be
-//    compile-time strings, such as `dyno::only<decltype("foo"_s), decltype("bar"_s)>`.
+//    Picks only the specified functions from a concept. `functions...` must
+//    be compile-time strings, such as `dyno::only<"foo"_s, "bar"_s>`.
 //
 //  dyno::except<functions...>
-//    Picks all but the specified functions from a concept. `functions` must
-//    be compile-time strings, such as `dyno::except<decltype("foo"_s), decltype("bar"_s)>`.
+//    Picks all but the specified functions from a concept. `functions...`
+//    must be compile-time strings, such as `dyno::except<"foo"_s, "bar"_s>`.
 //
 //  dyno::everything
 //    Picks all the functions from a concept.
diff --git a/test/detail/dsl.make_string.cpp b/test/detail/dsl.make_string.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aeca6a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/detail/dsl.make_string.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+// Copyright Louis Dionne 2017
+// Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
+// (See accompanying file LICENSE.md or copy at http://boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+#include <dyno/detail/dsl.hpp>
+
+#include <type_traits>
+
+
+int main() {
+  {
+    static constexpr char const s[] = "";
+    static_assert(std::is_same<decltype(dyno::detail::make_string<s>()),
+                               dyno::detail::string<>>{});
+  }
+
+  {
+    static constexpr char const s[] = "a";
+    static_assert(std::is_same<decltype(dyno::detail::make_string<s>()),
+                               dyno::detail::string<'a'>>{});
+  }
+
+  {
+    static constexpr char const s[] = "abc";
+    static_assert(std::is_same<decltype(dyno::detail::make_string<s>()),
+                               dyno::detail::string<'a', 'b', 'c'>>{});
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/vtable.fail.1.cpp b/test/vtable.fail.1.cpp
index ea1e7d6..1826e7f 100644
--- a/test/vtable.fail.1.cpp
+++ b/test/vtable.fail.1.cpp
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ auto dyno::concept_map<Fooable, int> = dyno::make_concept_map(
 
 int main() {
   using VTable = dyno::vtable<
-    dyno::local<dyno::only<decltype("a"_s)>>,
-    dyno::remote<dyno::only<decltype("b"_s)>>
+    dyno::local<dyno::only<"a"_s>>,
+    dyno::remote<dyno::only<"b"_s>>
   >;
   VTable::apply<Fooable> vtable{
     dyno::complete_concept_map<Fooable, int>(dyno::concept_map<Fooable, int>)
diff --git a/test/vtable.fail.3.cpp b/test/vtable.fail.3.cpp
index 04555bf..f50de6e 100644
--- a/test/vtable.fail.3.cpp
+++ b/test/vtable.fail.3.cpp
@@ -25,5 +25,5 @@ int main() {
   auto complete = dyno::complete_concept_map<Concept, Foo>(dyno::concept_map<Concept, Foo>);
 
   // MESSAGE[The policies specified in the vtable did not fully cover all the functions provided by the concept]
-  dyno::vtable<dyno::local<dyno::only<decltype("f"_s)>>>::apply<Concept> vtable{complete};
+  dyno::vtable<dyno::local<dyno::only<"f"_s>>>::apply<Concept> vtable{complete};
 }
diff --git a/test/vtable.fail.4.cpp b/test/vtable.fail.4.cpp
index 4a29d66..05a1d6e 100644
--- a/test/vtable.fail.4.cpp
+++ b/test/vtable.fail.4.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ int main() {
 
   // MESSAGE[Some functions specified in this selector are not part of the concept to which the selector was applied]
   dyno::vtable<
-    dyno::local<dyno::only<decltype("nonexistent"_s)>>,
+    dyno::local<dyno::only<"nonexistent"_s>>,
     dyno::remote<dyno::everything_else>
   >::apply<Concept> vtable{complete};
 }
diff --git a/test/vtable.fail.5.cpp b/test/vtable.fail.5.cpp
index ce52d04..2337789 100644
--- a/test/vtable.fail.5.cpp
+++ b/test/vtable.fail.5.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ int main() {
 
   // MESSAGE[Some functions specified in this selector are not part of the concept to which the selector was applied]
   dyno::vtable<
-    dyno::local<dyno::except<decltype("nonexistent"_s)>>,
+    dyno::local<dyno::except<"nonexistent"_s>>,
     dyno::remote<dyno::everything_else>
   >::apply<Concept> vtable{complete};
 }
diff --git a/test/vtable.selector.fail.2.cpp b/test/vtable.selector.fail.2.cpp
index 3c29e72..ec70e52 100644
--- a/test/vtable.selector.fail.2.cpp
+++ b/test/vtable.selector.fail.2.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ int main() {
 
   // MESSAGE[dyno::remote: Provided invalid selector. Valid selectors are]
   dyno::vtable<
-    dyno::local<dyno::only<decltype("f"_s)>>,
+    dyno::local<dyno::only<"f"_s>>,
     dyno::remote<struct inexistent>
   >::apply<Concept> vtable{complete};
 }