2010 Asian American Short Story Contest
By Celeste Ng
Entries are now being accepted for the 2010 Asian American Short Story Contest–the only national, pan-Asian American writing competition of its kind.
The contest’s sponsors are two of the leading promoters of Asian American literary arts: Hyphen magazine is a non-profit news and culture magazine and blog that focuses on exploring Asian American identity, and the Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW) is the most prominent organization in the country dedicated to exceptional literature by writers of Asian descent.
Fiction Writers Review is proud to be a media partner for the 2010 contest.
This year’s judges are Alexander Chee and Jaed Coffin. Ten finalists will receive a one-year subscription to Hyphen and a one-year membership to AAWW, and one grand prize winner will also receive $1,000 and publication in Hyphen.
The contest is open to all writers of Asian descent living in the United States and Canada, and there is no required theme. For full contest instructions, visit http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/shortstory. The deadline for submission is March 31st, 2010 (postmark deadline), and winners will be announced by June 16.
Further Reading:
Preeta Samarasan
- Read the 2008 winning story: “Playing the Sheik,” by Shivani Manghnani
- Read the 2007 winning story: “Our House Stands in a City of Flowers,” by (FWR contributor!) Preeta Samarasan
Celeste,
I don’t plan to enter, but am intrigued about how one defines oneself as “Asian-American?” Technically, I think I would qualify because three out of my eight great-grandparents were Armenians born in Asia Minor. At some point ethnic identity can become more confusing than simple ethnic pride. My other great-grandparents were from Scotland (1), England (3) and France-Alsace (1). There was no Armenian culture in my family when I was growing up. This is a melting pot, after all!
You know, I don’t actually know the answer to this question. I believe this is a self-selecting process, and I think the contest rules are kept as open as possible for that reason. Part of the AAWW’s statement about its mission reads, “Workshop believes that Asian American literature is not simply a niche genre, but offers something irreplaceable for all readers, regardless of ethnicity or national origin. In other words, Asian American literature is for everyone, not just Asian Americans, and a vital chapter of the story of what it means for all of us to be American.” So if you honestly consider yourself to be Asian American, then I think you’d qualify.
No, Celeste, I was just kidding. I think, at a minimum, one would have to have significant exposure to relatives who are native to Asia in order to enter this contest. I’m really just bringing up possible absurdities that can arise when the rules for a prize of this nature aren’t defined more precisely. It’s OK to encourage specific groups to express their experiences in fiction, but devising the rules to avoid both vagueness and ethnic/racial prejudice is tricky. The people who created this contest probably weren’t thinking of Turks, let alone English-Americans who have Armenian ancestors. My feelings wouldn’t be hurt if I were excluded.
Ah, Paul, this is where technology (and the typed word) fail us: I didn’t mean you specifically, but “you” generally–as in, “if one honestly considers oneself to be Asian American…” But I definitely see your point!
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