Interview With Myna Chang : Summer '25 Flash Fiction Contest First Place Winner

Myna Chang is the author of The Potential of Radio and Rain (CutBank Books). Her writing has been selected for W.W. Norton’s Flash Fiction America, Best Small Fictions, and Best Microfiction. She hosts the Electric Sheep speculative reading series, and publishes MicroVerse Recommended Reading. Find her at MynaChang.com and on Bluesky at @MynaChang.

---interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Summer 2025 Flash Fiction competition! What inspired you to write your story, “Tascadora, Texas, 1935?”

Myna: My grandparents told so many amazing and terrifying stories about growing up during the Dust Bowl years. I’ve always been fascinated by the “rainmakers” who blew into town, promising miracles. Tascadora is a fictional town, but the scenario in my story is based on a rainmaker’s visit to a small town in the Texas panhandle at the height of the drought in 1935.

WOW: You’ve written a lot of creative non-fiction, including contest entries for WOW, as well. What inspires you to write fiction and what draws you to CNF?

Myna: My fiction writing is often based on things I find wondrous. My CNF is usually inspired by anger or sorrow.

WOW: Tell us about the Electric Sheep speculative reading series. What do you like about speculative fiction?

Myna: Electric Sheep is a small, casual group of speculative fiction fans. We meet most weeks to discuss short spec stories. We invite our featured readers to join us for a Q&A. Our goal is to have fun and celebrate short fiction writers and the magazines that publish them. Our reading series is open to the public, showcasing some of the writers we’ve featured over the previous year.

I’ve been a speculative fiction fan ever since I can remember. I have a special love of hard science fiction, including cyberpunk, biopunk, and classic space opera—but I also love all kinds of fantasy and horror. Being able to geek out with the Electric Sheep group is a treat for me!

WOW: Since we’re in December now, do you do any end of the year reflections about your writing achievements? What New Year’s resolutions or planning do you do?

Myna: Great timing with this question! I’ve been evaluating my 2025 goals and, as usual, I see that I’ve spent too much time on ancillary projects and not enough time actually writing. For 2026, I hope to do fewer book reviews and author interviews on my MicroVerse Recommended Reading blog. I love connecting with other authors through the blog, but it really takes a lot of time. I will continue doing my monthly flash fiction roundup, though—I enjoy that too much to stop!

WOW:  Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Myna. Before you go, what encouragement or advice can you give to writers about entering writing contests?

Myna: I think contests are so much fun! I appreciate the absolute deadline, and I love the anticipation that builds as the winners’ announcement date approaches. I encourage anyone considering a contest to research it thoroughly before paying an entry fee. Not all contests are managed well, and some are outright scams. Look for contests with an established track record and a reputation for treating entrants with respect.

***

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Interview with Myna Chang - Fall 2024 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

I’m thrilled to chat with Myna Chang today about her riveting story, “Amygdala,” which placed in the Fall 2024 Flash Fiction Contest! Join us as we talk about the inspiration behind her winning story, writing “breathless flash,” entering contests, and her fab Bluesky group, Electric Sheep. 

Myna Chang is the author of The Potential of Radio and Rain (CutBank Books). Her writing has been selected for Best Microfiction, Best Small Fictions, and WW Norton’s Flash Fiction America. Find her at MynaChang.com or on Bluesky at @MynaChang.

--- Interview by Angela Mackintosh

WOW: I absolutely love your story for its action, lyricism, and creative format. What inspired “Amygdala”?

Myna: Thank you! I came up with the basic idea when my dog needed to go outside in the middle of the night. While I waited for him to do his business, I heard a weird noise at my garage door. It was only a rabbit, but I wondered: what if I really did catch someone trying to break in? Then I started to feel sorry for this hypothetical burglar, because, of course, I’d beat him ruthlessly with that garden rake my husband keeps leaving outside. Like most moms, I’d do anything necessary to prevent a bad guy from gaining access to my sleeping family. And then I realized a full-on brawl with a robber might be a foolish choice for a middle-aged woman in fuzzy slippers. I typed out the first draft of the story the next morning.

WOW: It's such a gift when life moments inspire stories! The backstory moved me—how you expertly wove it into the forward momentum/action. It’s complex, and I feel for Mrs. B, who tragically lost her husband and son. Since I have you here, I’m dying to know what the “hooligan” was doing there, breaking into Mrs. B’s house?

Myna: In my mind, the hooligan is simply trying to find shelter for the night. I think he was once friends with Mrs. B’s son, so he’s been a guest at the house before and is trying to remember the garage door code. He’s a troubled runaway, not yet a criminal, and he needs someplace safe to sleep.

WOW: That's interesting to know! Since he was a friend of Mrs. B's son, I had several possible scenarios in my mind, so thank you for sharing that. One-sentence stories are tough to write, and you just took it to the next level with “Amygdala”! I’ve tried this form before and the hardest part for me was the transitions. What are some tips you can share with writers who want to try this format?

Myna: Transitions are so hard in breathless flash! It’s tempting to string everything together with “and.” I allow myself to do just that in my first draft. Getting the rush of words on the page is the most important thing, I think, so the emotion and momentum are not lost. Then editing the transitions is where the hard work comes in. I look for opportunities to turn those “ands” into specific actions or emotions. When that doesn’t fit, I try to vary the connecting words and punctuation so it doesn’t feel too repetitive. Sometimes it works!

WOW: Well, your transitions sparkle! So hard to do, and this is why I love chatting with flash authors, to find out more about their work. I know you do that too with your fantastic blog, MicroVerse, which I subscribe to. I recommend all flash writers check it out! When did you start it and what’s your mission? Please tell our readers about some of your regular features.  

Myna: You’re so kind! I’m glad you’re enjoying MicroVerse! I read a lot of stories and I love to share them with my writing friends. I thought it might be fun to formalize this sharing process with a monthly roundup of great speculative flash. I try to choose 10 or 12 flash pieces that wow me with fresh ideas, a distinct voice, or vibrant language. I feel like speculative flash doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves, so I hope MicroVerse will entice more readers into becoming dedicated spec flash fans. I also interview authors, editors, and publishers about their work in the speculative community. I want folks to find encouragement and inspiration when they visit MicroVerse.

WOW: It is very encouraging, Myna! You also created a vibrant and successful group on Bluesky called Electric Sheep. I remember in a guest post, you mentioned creating it because book clubs only discuss full-length novels and critique groups mostly focus on WIPs. I think it’s a fabulous idea to focus on short pieces. What is the group up to right now? Any exciting events?

Myna: We just celebrated our fourth birthday! We’ve hosted Q&A sessions with almost 100 guest authors and editors, and read hundreds of short speculative stories for in-depth discussion. Our upcoming guest list includes award-winning science fiction, fantasy, and horror writers, as well as editors from premier magazines. We also have several special topic discussions coming up, covering world building techniques, slipstream examples, and speculative poetry. Our main goal is to have fun, but we also hope to provide support for short story authors and the magazines that publish them. Our membership is capped to ensure everyone in the group can easily participate in the Zoom discussions, but we encourage everyone to read along with us and join the conversation on Bluesky.

WOW: Fantastic! You're so busy, and I’m always curious about writer’s schedules. Do you have a favorite time to write? What are some of your writing rituals?

Myna: I feel more creative early in the morning, when the house is quiet and I haven’t yet been distracted by the horrors of the daily news cycle. I’m at my best with a large cup of coffee and a large keyboard (not that dinky laptop keyboard that makes me feel like I have clumsy sausage fingers).

WOW: Ha! That's what I call my partner's fingers—sausage fingers or spatulas. Morning is also my favorite time to write. You’ve been so successful at winning contests (including first place in several WOW! contests) and have a busy publishing schedule. I’m curious about your submission practice. Do you have a submission routine? Any tips you can share for targeting contests?

Myna: I love the process of evaluating contests and magazines. Does the market have a general vibe that matches my work? Do I enjoy reading the stories they’ve published? Do the folks in charge have a strong track record of professionalism and integrity? As far as a submission routine, I have a loose goal of publishing every story I write. Of course, that’s a ridiculous goal. Lots of stories end up in my “abandon all hope” folder. But I’m willing to do significant editing and rewriting before I give up on a piece. I prefer markets that allow simultaneous submissions, and I usually have a story out to three markets at a time. When a rejection comes in, I immediately submit to the next market on my list.

WOW: Great tips, Myna! Thank you so much for sharing with our readers today, and I will be following your work, as always! 

Check out the latest WOW writing contests:

www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

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Interview with Myna Chang , First Place Winner in the Fall 2023 WOW! Flash Fiction Contest

Myna Chang (she/her) is the author of The Potential of Radio and Rain (CutBank Books). Her writing has been selected for Flash Fiction America (W. W. Norton), Best Small Fictions, and CRAFT. She has won the Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction and the New Millennium Award in Flash Fiction. She hosts the Electric Sheep speculative fiction reading series. Find her at MynaChang.com, or on Twitter or Bluesky at @MynaChang.

---interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Fall 2023 Flash Fiction competition! What inspired you to write your story, “Firefly Boys?”

Myna: One of my goals last year was to create male protagonists who demonstrate healthy emotional relationships and supportive parenting. “Firefly Boys” began with a contest prompt: “you find a wild animal on your way home.” I thought about wild animals and worthy fathers and homes, and somehow ended up with magic fireflies. It doesn’t make much sense now that I’m typing it out!

WOW: It doesn't have to make sense, it's a good story! What advice would you give to someone wanting to try writing flash fiction for the first time?

Myna: Find the spark in your story—the thing that most excites you about the idea. How does your character change in that moment? Focus on that change.

WOW: How do you find or make time to write?

Myna: It’s tough. I do a lot of writing-related work; editing, hosting readings, leading a discussion group. Sometimes I’m too drained from those activities to produce anything new. I try to schedule slots of writing time in my schedule, and I’m learning to say “no” to new projects. I also find motivation in contest deadlines.

WOW: What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it?

Myna: I’m savoring the flash stories in the 2023 edition of The Best Small Fictions anthology. I’m on the BSF staff, so I’ve already read many of these stories, but it’s so much fun to see them all gathered together. There are so many spectacular writers in the flash community. These stories inspire me!

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Myna. Before you go, can you share a favorite writing tip or piece of advice?

Myna: Advice that is repeated every week in my flash group: submit that story! Get your work out there for editors to see, and if you receive a rejection, send the story out to the next publication on your list!

***

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Interview with Myna Chang: Q3 2023 CNF Essay Contest Third Place Winner

Myna’s Bio: Myna Chang is the author of The Potential of Radio and Rain. Her writing has been selected for Flash Fiction America (W. W. Norton) and Best Small Fictions. Awards include the Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction, the New Millennium Award in Flash Fiction, the CutBank Books Chapbook Award, and the CRAFT Creative NonFiction Editor’s Choice Award. She hosts the Electric Sheep speculative fiction reading series, reads and edits for several journals, and judges literary and speculative fiction contests. See more at MynaChang.com or @MynaChang. 

If you haven't done so already, check out Myna's award-winning essay "We Were the Wild Hunt" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing third in the Q3 2023 Creative Nonfiction Contest! How did you begin writing your essay and how did it and your writing processes evolve as you wrote? 

Myna: Thank you, Anne, I’m glad you asked this. I’ve discussed the torturous process of creating this essay in other interviews, but here, I’d like to focus on the fantastic class I took through WOW that explored speculative memoir. The class was taught by Naomi Kimbell, and she was wonderful. My essay is about my grandfather’s murder, which happened when I was a teenager. I didn’t want to write about it at all, but the thoughts kept bubbling up. I struggled with it for years. Then I tried some of the techniques I learned in Naomi’s class—specifically, using fantastical settings and language to describe real-world events. I’ve always felt at home with science fiction and fantasy, and shifting my mindset to this approach made it easier for me to get into the story. The resulting piece felt more true to me than any of the previous drafts. I’ve adopted this technique in other nonfiction writing, too. It always seems to help me get started, even if I don’t keep the fantastical language in the finished piece. 

WOW: I’m so glad to hear that WOW’s speculative memoir class with Naomi Kimbell was helpful. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with it and how it helped your writing. What did you learn about yourself or your writing by creating this essay? 

Myna: I kept trying to write about my grandfather’s experience from his point of view, but of course, I can’t do that because I’m not him. I didn’t face the horrific situation he faced. Theoretically, I knew I should be tackling my own lived experience instead, but that felt wrong. He was the one who was murdered, so how dare I try to make this about myself? Working through the process, I finally realized it’s not selfish or disrespectful to approach this event through my own lens. I can tell the story of my own shock and grief, and hopefully my love for him comes through. 

WOW: It sounds like you have put a lot of thought and love into this piece, and we’re so grateful that you shared it with us. I understand that you host a speculative fiction reading series and judge a speculative fiction contest. How do you define this genre and what draws you to it? 

Myna: I like to define speculative fiction as any story that asks the question, “What if?” These stories are often classified as science fiction, fantasy, or horror, but I believe those labels are outdated and too limiting. Within speculative fiction, I am particularly drawn to stories with a sense of wonder. My discussion group, Electric Sheep, explores short speculative stories, and we support authors and the magazines who publish them. We hope to provide a few new avenues for speculative writers to connect with readers, and we hope to have fun in the process. 

WOW: What a great idea for a discussion group, and I love that description of speculative writing as “stories with a sense of wonder.” Which creative nonfiction essays or writers have inspired you most, and in what ways did they inspire you? 

Myna: There are so many ways to approach creative nonfiction. I don’t like the idea that all CNF has to fit into a narrow box. That’s one reason I’m a huge fan of CRAFT magazine. I find the creative nonfiction they publish to be both emotionally and technically on-target, but the most helpful thing is the author’s note that accompanies each piece. I love this window into each writer’s process. 

WOW: If you could tell your younger self anything about writing, what would it be? 

Myna: I did not enjoy writing when I was young. I majored in journalism because it was the major with the least amount of math. My writing skills were merely adequate in my early career. When I got high enough on the corporate food chain to make my own hires, the first people I brought in were writers – so I wouldn’t have to do it myself. If I could tell my younger self anything, I’d say, “Don’t worry. Sooner or later, it will all work out.” 

WOW: That’s excellent advice in so many contexts. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Myna: I’d like to thank all the folks at WOW for continuing to offer these contests. I’ve seen some sketchy organizations out in the wild internet, taking advantage of writers and ripping people off. It’s a treat to know WOW is here, running a well-organized, ethically-managed competition. 

WOW: We’re so glad you trust us with your writing. Thank you so much for your thoughtful responses. Happy writing! 

Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, founder and editor-in-chief of Sport Stories Press, which publishes sports books by, for, and about sportswomen and amateur athletes and offers developmental editing and ghostwriting services to partially fund the press. Engage on Twitter or Instagram @GreenMachine459.

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Interview with Myna Chang, First Place Winner of Summer 2022 Flash Fiction Contest

Myna Chang’s chapbook, The Potential of Radio and Rain, will be published by CutBank Books in 2023. Her writing has been selected for Flash Fiction America (W.W. Norton), Best Small Fictions, and CRAFT, among others. She has won the Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction and the New Millennium Writings Award in Flash Fiction. She hosts the Electric Sheep speculative fiction reading series. Find her at MynaChang.com or @MynaChang.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Summer 2022 Flash Fiction competition! Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, “Special Recipe: Book Club Dip?” It reminds me of a hermit crab essay, but it’s fictional.

Myna: This story started in a generative hermit crab flash workshop offered by Cheryl Pappas. We talked about a variety of forms, ranging from simple lists to detailed product reviews and more. The recipe format appealed to me, probably because I enjoy reading about all the fancy foods I’ll never prepare myself. Also, I kept thinking of a silly red car parked in front of a neighbor’s house. The two ideas combined and ballooned from there.

WOW:  It's a fun and clever piece, and I love the last italicized line. Why do you write flash? What makes it different for you?

Myna: When I first started writing flash, I found 500 words to be my favorite length. The constraint forced me to make strategic choices in both the theme and specific words. After a few years of practice, I’m now flirting with 200-250 words. Can I grab a reader’s attention and present a full character arc? Can I leave them with a memorable image, a feeling of resonance? This is tough, but it’s extremely satisfying when it works. After writing flash and micro, short story writing feels almost wasteful!

WOW: What are the most common mistakes made by new writers when writing flash fiction and what advice would you offer to help overcome them?

Myna: I think it helps to look at flash as a unique type of writing. Flash isn’t simply a shorter version of a short story, it’s a completely different animal. You have to capture the reader immediately and genuinely engage with them. What does the reader bring to the story, and how will their own experiences color what they read? Flash stories often invite the reader to step into the narrative, in a sort of collaborative space, making the unsaid elements take on greater importance. A good way to see this is to read your favorite flash journals in depth. Review each story a couple of times to find the layers of meaning, study the word choices, and think about what the author doesn’t explicitly say.

WOW:  Your debut chapbook, The Potential of Radio and Rain, will be released next year. What you tell us about this project, and the process of completing it?

Myna: The Potential of Radio and Rain is a collection of 23 loosely-linked micro and flash pieces, rooted in the shortgrass prairie region of the US. Once I realized I had almost enough stories set in this landscape, I wrote a few more to fill in the gaps. Then I spent a ridiculous amount of time rearranging the pieces to best bring out the connections among them. The manuscript won CutBank’s 2022 Chapbook Contest. We’re now in the process of choosing cover art, which is very fun! We expect it to be available sometime in the first quarter of 2023.

WOW: Congratulations on your manuscript's win and the upcoming release! What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever been given?

Myna: “Go ahead and end that sentence with a preposition if you want to!” — Great advice from friend and phenomenal writer Marcy Dilworth.

****

For more information about our quarterly Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Essay contests, visit our contest page here.

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Friday Speak Out!: Start Your Own Writers’ Discussion Group: Tips from Electric Sheep

by Myna Chang

Have you ever fallen so hard in love with a flash or short story that you couldn’t wait to talk about it--only to remember your book club exclusively discusses full-length novels and your writers’ critique group focuses solely on members’ WIPs?

Where can you go to gush about that phenomenal short story, or ask questions about the experimental flash piece you didn’t fully understand? A made-to-order discussion group might be the solution you’re looking for.

Talking through published pieces with other writers can promote deeper reading, which can enhance your own work. It’s also a wonderful way to maintain your enthusiasm and expand your community.

But how to get started? Here are a few tips I’ve gathered from hosting Electric Sheep, a speculative fiction discussion group that recently celebrated its first birthday.

First, consider your goals. Do you hope to discover fresh narrative styles, or new authors? Are you hoping to uncover additional layers of meaning, or explore other readers’ interpretations and perspectives? Electric Sheep’s primary goal is to celebrate scifi and fantasy short stories. Analyzing these pieces with other speculative writers often brings unexpected insight into the story, as well as the craft of writing.

Next, think about how to structure your activities. Maybe you want to participate asynchronously through a message board or chat group. Or perhaps you’d like to meet virtually. How will you decide which stories to discuss, and how will you assign organizational tasks? Electric Sheep meets weekly via Zoom. We keep our schedule and participation guidelines in a group spreadsheet in Google Docs. There are many ways to approach this, so envision a setup that will be convenient and enjoyable for you and your members.

Speaking of members, how do you find each other? If you’re a writer, you might already be part of online authors’ groups. Literary Twitter is overflowing with writers of every genre and skill level, making it easy to connect with others who share your interests. Don’t forget to check the bulletin board at your local library. Most of the people in my group met through an online workshop offered by a bookstore.

Finally, try to keep an open mind. Your new friends may have all sorts of suggestions that never occurred to you--be brave and experiment until you find the right combination of structure and procedures. The folks in Electric Sheep keep surprising me with their generosity and brilliant ideas. Our meetings are the highlight of my week.

I wish you good luck starting your group, and remember: have fun!

* * *

Myna Chang (she/her) is the host of Electric Sheep. Her work has been selected for Flash Fiction America (W.W. Norton), Best Small Fictions, Fractured Lit, X-R-A-Y Lit Mag, and The Citron Review, among others. She has won the Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction and the New Millennium Award in Flash Fiction, and she’s a huge fan of the WOW! Flash Fiction contest. She reads submissions for Uncharted Magazine and Janus Literary. Find her at MynaChang.com or on Twitter at @MynaChang.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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INTERVIEW WITH MYNA CHANG, 1ST PLACE WINNER OF OUR SPRING 2021 FLASH FICTION CONTEST

Myna Chang writes flash and micro. Her work has been selected for Best Small Fictions, Fractured Lit, X-R-A-Y Lit Mag, and The Citron Review, among others. She has been nominated for Best Microfiction, longlisted for the Wigleaf Top 50, and named a finalist for the New Millennium Writing Award. She is the winner of the 2020 Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction. Myna lives in Potomac, Maryland with her family. Read more at MynaChang.com or @MynaChang.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Spring 2021 Flash Fiction competition! Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, “An Alternate Theory Regarding Natural Disasters, as Posited by the Teenage Girls of Clove County, Kansas?” Such a great title!

Myna: I started this story in one of Tommy Dean’s “Flash Perspectives” workshops. My goal was to encapsulate an entire year or era in a way that only the main characters could see. The prompt reminded me of the summer a devastating hailstorm wiped out most of the wheat in my rural county and how that changed everything for all of us.

WOW: What key elements do you think make a great piece of flash fiction?

Myna: My favorite flash stories invite the reader into the piece, almost in collaboration with the writer. I love the way some stories stick with me, leaving me to ponder the various layers and meanings that are revealed with a close read. In those pieces, the information that is left unsaid is, perhaps, more important than what is included.

WOW: Can you tell us what projects are you currently working on? What can we plan on seeing from you in the future?

Myna: I’ve written several flash and micro stories set in the shortgrass prairie region of the US. I’d like to organize a collection of these stories, but first I have to write a few more to fill in the gaps. I’m also reading for two great publications, Uncharted Magazine and Janus Literary, and managing a speculative fiction discussion group.

WOW: On your website, you joke that you are “powered by coffee and donuts.” So we’d love to know what are your favorite kind of donuts and coffee drinks?

Myna: I wish I could tell you my favorite donuts were the ones my grandmother made when I was little, but honestly, they weren’t very good. My preference is a plain glazed donut with a huge cup of strong black coffee.

WOW: Simple is often best (though I can't make myself do black coffee, unfortunately!). Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Myna. Before you go, do you have a favorite writing tip or piece of advice you can share?

Myna: Connecting with others in the literary community has helped me more than anything else. A writing partner, critique group, or network of flash folks on Twitter can give you a boost of energy and help you stay motivated. The best part is meeting other writers because writers are fun!

****

For more information about our quarterly Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Essay contests, visit our contest page here.

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Interview with Myna Chang, 2nd Place Winner in the Summer 2020 Flash Fiction Contest

Myna Chang writes flash and short stories. Her work has been featured or is forthcoming in X-R-A-Y Lit Mag, New World Writing, Reflex Fiction, FlashFlood, Atlas & Alice, Writers Resist, and Daily Science Fiction. Anthologies featuring her stories include the Grace & Gravity collection Furious Gravity IX; and the forthcoming This is What America Looks Like anthology by Washington Writers’ Publishing House. Her story “Air So Thick” won 1st place in the WOW Summer 2019 flash fiction contest, and “Good Deal” received an honorable mention in the WOW Fall 2018 flash fiction contest. Myna lives in Potomac, MD, with her husband and teenage son. Read more at MynaChang.com or on Twitter at @MynaChang. 

Check out Myna's award-winning story here and then return for an interview with the writer. 

----------Interview by Renee Roberson 

WOW: Thanks for being here today, Myna, and welcome! As someone who has placed in three different WOW! competitions, what advice would you offer to writers hoping to get their fiction noticed in this particular contest? 

Myna: My WOW stories have been vastly different in terms of form and genre, including a comedy, a historical fiction, and a family drama. The thing they have in common is an unexpected hook -- a hungry goat, a dust storm, a pile of secrets. Before submitting, I read about the guest judge to see what sorts of stories they prefer. If the judge dislikes genre stories, for instance, I won’t submit a fantasy story. 

WOW: Very practical advice, thank you! What inspired you to write “The Frame of a Life?” 

Myna: My grandmother always slid new photos on top of the older ones in her picture frames. Each frame contained a little time capsule, going back decades. I wondered if other people do that, and what sorts of things they might keep. 

WOW: My mom actually did that with all my school pictures in one 5 x 7 frame. I thought of that as I was reading your story. Your breathless CNF, “Playground Justice,” appeared in Atlas and Atlas, and the piece really packs a punch! For anyone who is not familiar with this form of writing, could you give us an overview of what it is and how you decided to explore it? 

Myna: I first encountered the breathless form in a flash workshop a few years ago. I fell in love with the immediacy and urgency of an entire story told in one sentence. Word choices and punctuation take on greater importance in such a story, both to provide clarity and to drive the reader headlong into the narrative. In my Playground story, I wanted to show the explosive release of layered emotions, and the breathless form seemed to fit the subject matter. The story is longer than a typical breathless piece, so I decided to break it up in paragraph form while still maintaining the single sentence structure. 

WOW: On your blog you write that you believe “most things can be improved with a bit of kung fu.” We’d love to know more! 

Myna: My main goal with my writing is to have fun. To me, injecting “kung fu” into my stories means unexpected action, audacious characters, or funny settings. It’s my way of saying, “let’s have some fun!” 

WOW: Your portfolio includes such a wide array of genres—from contemporary flash fiction to science fiction to CNF to humor and political satire and much more. What is your submission process like and how long do you wait to hear back from one publication before moving on? Or do you prefer to submit simultaneously?  

Myna: I prefer publications that accept simultaneous submissions. I try to limit myself to three publications at a time. When one rejection comes, I immediately send the story to the next publication on my hit list. Occasionally I will write with a specific market in mind, and in those cases, I submit only to that market--then pursue simultaneous subs if the piece is rejected. Sci-fi publications are the exception, because many of them do not allow simsubs. I have to feel very confident about a story before I will tie it up with a slow-moving scifi submission queue.

WOW: You've shared a lot of great information and I know our readers will appreciate. We hope to read even more of your work in the future.

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Interview with Myna Chang: First Place Winner of Summer 2019 Flash Fiction Contest

Myna Chang grew up in the Oklahoma panhandle, surrounded by vivid reminders of the ecological disaster known as the Dust Bowl. Her grandparents filled her head with frightening and exciting tales of their adventures during that harrowing time, and now she explores those remembrances in her writing. She also enjoys stories about robots, dinosaurs, and kung fu. Her work has been featured in Writers Resist, Twist In Time, Enchanted Conversation, Daily Science Fiction, Copperfield Review, Dead Housekeeping, and others. Myna’s story “Good Deal” won an honorable mention in the WOW Fall 2018 Flash Fiction Contest. Myna lives with her family in Potomac, Maryland. Read more at mynachang.com or find her on Twitter @MynaChang.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on your first place win in our Summer 2019 Flash Fiction competition! Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, “Air So Thick?” It sounds like it may have been inspired by the place you grew up and conversations with your grandparents.

Myna: “Air So Thick” is one of several stories inspired by my childhood growing up in the Oklahoma panhandle, where I learned to hate the wind. Gusts up to 60 mph were a daily occurrence, whipping grit into my eyes and mouth, and scouring the skin on my legs when I was foolish enough to wear shorts on a bad day.

As bad as I thought I had it, my grandparents suffered so much more. Colorful terms were invented to describe their place and time — the Dirty 30s, Tornado Alley, the Dust Bowl. Their childhood years were scarred by environmental disaster and economic ruin, but they survived and came away with some amazing tales.

Their adventures have stuck with me, and I keep coming back to the topic. I’m especially fascinated by the massive Black Sunday storm, which reportedly was hundreds of miles wide and thousands of feet high, and blacked out the sun for three full days.

Many of my stories feature young people overcoming the challenges of this hostile environment, just as my grandmothers and grandfathers did.

WOW: What do you enjoy about flash fiction writing versus the other kinds of writing that you do?

Myna: I love the condensed form. My favorite length, both to read and write, is around 500 words -- long enough to have strong character voice and a dynamic setting, but not long enough for meandering. Every word has to count. It’s like assembling a puzzle.

WOW: You mentioned that you enjoy stories about robots, dinosaurs, and kung fu. Where did this interest come from, do you think? Any favorite stories to recommend?

Myna: My uncle (the greatest uncle in the history of the universe) provided a steady supply of scifi and fantasy fiction while I was growing up. He handed me The Hobbit when I was 9 and said, “Please be quiet and read this!” My mom and step-dad introduced me to martial arts and monster movies. I never stopped loving speculative fiction, and I still seek stories of wonder in my everyday life.

As far as recommendations? Too many to list! It feels like heaven to be a speculative fiction lover now. Any length and type of story you want is available with only a few moments’ search. It’s no longer unusual to find a badass female protagonist who does whatever-the-heck she wants while saving the world. Also, dinosaurs are just cool.

WOW: We’d love to know more about your writing routines. Could you tell us when and where you usually write? Do you have favorite tools or habits that get you going?

Myna: I do some sort of writing-related activity every day, usually before the rest of my household wakes up. I require lots of coffee. But even with unlimited caffeine, I often struggle to create a complete story without an external motivator. Prompted contests and workshops have proven to be the best tools to keep me going. I love the excitement and sense of possibility when I wake up to a unique set of prompts, then I spend my afternoon panicking and hating whatever I’m trying to write, but by evening I’m usually filled with satisfaction as I play with the final word choices and hit the submit button. My husband and son call this “binge writing.” I’m lucky to have such a supportive family -- they bring me sandwiches and cheer me on.

“Air so Thick” originated in a workshop. The prompt was to write a map-based flash, and we were given several thought-provoking examples to get us started. Approaching this story from the perspective of a landscape map is something I wouldn’t have considered before taking the workshop, and the other participants provided fantastic feedback on my first draft.

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Myna! Before you go, do you have any tips for our readers who may be thinking about entering writing contests?

Myna: I love contests! There are so many different contests to choose from. I think it’s important to do some research before entering one. Is the contest managed by a legitimate group or publication? How is it judged? Will they provide feedback on your entry? Will they give you prompts, or do they have a specific theme? If winning entries from the past are available, read them to get a flavor for the tenor and quality of writing the contest judges appreciate.

Once you’ve settled on the perfect contest, find someone to review your story before you submit. Beta readers are essential, so take the time to find someone trustworthy and honest. And be ready to return the favor! There are several top-notch writers’ groups online, so even if you don’t have access to a beta reader in your everyday life, you can find great candidates via social media and reputable organizations such as WOW!.


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For more information about our quarterly Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Essay contests, visit our contest page here.

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