Alvin Pun

Vintage typewriter with a half-rolled sheet of paper on a wooden desk

What the Studio Stands For

An editorial home for emerging short fiction writers

Alvin Pun began as a single notebook and a stubborn belief that short stories deserve the same care as novels. Today it is a small editorial studio where writers learn to shape flash narratives, sharpen dialogue, and revise with intent. We work in cohorts of no more than eight, so every manuscript gets read closely and every question gets a straight answer.

Our workshops are built around the problems that actually stall writers: openings that wander, scenes that tell instead of show, endings that fade. Each session pairs a craft discussion with a timed exercise, and each submission comes back with margin notes that point to the next revision, not just the next compliment.

If you are aiming for literary magazines, building a regular writing habit, or simply trying to find your voice, this is a place to do that work without noise.

Structured online workshops for beginners and intermediate authors
Manuscript feedback with detailed editorial notes on every submission
A curated library of writing exercises on plot, dialogue, and revision
Quarterly anthology publication for polished cohort work

The editors behind your manuscript

Every workshop and feedback session at Alvin Pun is led by a working writer with a clear editorial point of view. We keep cohorts small so you get notes that are specific, honest, and useful for the next draft.

Founder, Fiction Editor

Hrishikesh Peri

Hrishikesh spent eight years as a submissions reader for two literary quarterlies before starting the studio. He edits for narrative tension and economy, and he runs the quarterly anthology selection process. His own flash pieces have appeared in three print journals.

Workshop Lead, Dialogue & Voice

Tulsi Chaudhary

Tulsi teaches the dialogue and point-of-view modules. She has a background in theatre scriptwriting, which shows in how she hears character voice on the page. Her feedback focuses on subtext, rhythm, and making each line earn its place.

Manuscript Coach, Revision

Roma Radhakrishnan

Roma guides the revision track for intermediate writers. She works through structural passes first, then line edits, and she is known for giving writers a clear revision map instead of vague praise. Her students have placed stories in regional anthologies.

Flash Fiction Specialist

Nawab Ravi

Nawab writes and teaches micro-fiction, with a particular interest in the 500-word form. He leads the studio's flash fiction labs and compiles the weekly writing prompts. His own work has been shortlisted for two national flash contests.

Community & Submissions Coordinator

Namita Qadim Comar

Namita manages the studio's reading groups and the quarterly anthology submissions. She helps writers prepare cover letters, research suitable magazines, and track their submission calendar. She also runs the monthly open-read nights.

Studio milestones since 2019

Vintage typewriter on a wooden desk with a stack of manuscript pages

How the studio found its footing

Notebook and pen resting on a pile of literary journals

First workshop cohort

In early 2019 we ran a six-week flash fiction workshop for eight writers in a borrowed reading room. Every participant finished a complete draft, and three stories went on to appear in small press journals.

Two writers reviewing handwritten notes at a cafe table

Manuscript feedback service

After repeated requests from alumni, we formalised our editorial notes into a structured feedback service. Each submission receives a line-level pass plus a two-page letter on structure, pacing, and revision priorities.

Printed anthology pages spread across a worktable

First quarterly anthology

In autumn 2021 we published our first anthology of cohort work. The print run sold out in three weeks, and the digital edition remains free for workshop alumni as a reference for their own revision practice.

Open notebook with handwritten story outline and margin notes

Exercise library goes digital

Our writing exercises, previously shared as printed handouts, moved into a searchable online library in 2022. Members now filter prompts by craft area, from dialogue rhythm to scene transitions, and track their weekly output.

Small group of writers gathered around a table with notebooks

Small cohort model locked in

We capped every workshop at twelve participants after learning that smaller groups produce sharper critique and stronger drafts. The waitlist for the spring term now opens two months in advance.

Typewriter keys close-up with a finished manuscript page

Alumni publication track

In 2023 we introduced a dedicated submission track for alumni: a monthly submission clinic, a shared list of open calls, and a quiet accountability group that keeps members writing between terms.