Alvin Pun

What drives the studio: a belief that short fiction is a craft you build through deliberate practice, honest feedback, and a community that reads closely.

Why Alvin Pun exists

Practice over theory

We do not lecture about writing; we write. Every workshop session is built around a prompt, a constraint, or a revision exercise that forces you to make choices on the page. You leave each meeting with a new draft or a rewritten passage, not just notes.

You finish every session with pages, not just principles.

Feedback with teeth

Manuscript feedback here is specific and actionable. We mark the line, name the problem, and suggest a fix. No vague praise, no generic encouragement. You will know exactly which paragraph drags, which dialogue exchange feels flat, and how to cut the fat without losing the voice.

Editorial notes that tell you what to change and why.

A room of your own

Writing is lonely, but it does not have to be isolating. Our cohorts are small, capped at eight writers, so you get to know the people reading your work. We share drafts, trade marginalia, and hold each other to deadlines. The studio becomes a quiet room where your stories are taken seriously.

You build a circle of readers who know your work.

Publication as a step

Submitting to literary magazines is a skill, and we treat it as part of the craft. We walk you through cover letters, simultaneous submissions, and rejection etiquette. The quarterly anthology is the studio's own outlet, but we also push you toward outside venues where your work can find new readers. Your polished stories leave the desk and enter the world.

Frequently asked questions about the studio

Straight answers about how the workshops run, what feedback looks like, and how the quarterly anthology works. No fine print, just the practical details.

What happens in a typical short fiction workshop?

Each cohort meets weekly over four weeks. You bring a draft, we read it aloud, and the group responds to what the story is doing rather than what it should be. I close each session with written notes on structure, dialogue rhythm, and where the tension drops. You leave with a revision plan, not just compliments.

I have never finished a story. Is that a problem?

Not at all. About half the writers who join have a folder of openings and no endings. The first two weeks focus on plot construction and scene stakes so you can push a draft to its final line. By week three you will have something complete enough to revise.

How detailed is the manuscript feedback?

You submit up to 3,000 words per session. I return margin comments plus a two-page editorial letter that covers the opening hook, character motivation, and the final image. The letter points to specific lines and suggests alternatives, so you are never guessing what to fix.

Do I need to be at a certain skill level to join?

The courses are built for beginners and intermediate writers. If you can write a clear paragraph, you have enough to start. The exercises assume you know the basics of grammar but not the mechanics of scene construction or revision. More experienced writers use the cohort to test new forms like flash narratives.

How does the quarterly anthology submission work?

At the end of each course, you can submit one polished piece. I select up to twelve stories per quarter, edit them lightly, and publish them in the studio's digital anthology. Contributors receive a PDF copy and a short note on why their story was chosen. There is no fee and no obligation to submit.

What if I miss a live session?

Every workshop is recorded and posted to the cohort page within 24 hours. You can watch the discussion, read the written feedback, and still submit your draft on schedule. The community forum stays open for questions between sessions, so you are never stuck waiting for the next call.

Open notebook with handwritten notes and a pen resting on a wooden desk