AVA CHEN
Ava Chen is a writer from Massachusetts. The founding Editor-in-Chief of the international literary magazine Sophon Lit and a Genre Managing Editor for Polyphony Lit, her writing has been recognized by Bennington College, The Adroit Prizes, Columbia College Chicago, The Poetry Society of the UK, and more. Ava's poetry has also appeared in or is forthcoming with The Rumpus, Diode, The Penn Review, and elsewhere. Her chapbook "Habitual Prayer" was chosen by Danez Smith as the winner of Palette Poetry's 2023 Chapbook Prize. Ava has also attended the Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program and Kenyon Young Writers Workshop. When not writing, you can find her taking very long walks or playing piano for her two pet turtles. She hopes you have a wonderful day.
SELECT HONORS
2024 Bennington Young Writers Awards · 3rd Place in Poetry2023 Palette Poetry Chapbook Prize, judged by Danez Smith · Winnerruth weiss foundation's Youth Poet Award · Finalist2023 Adroit Prize for Poetry · CommendedYoung Poet Network's Peace and Quiet Challenge · 2nd PrizeIce Lolly Review Campaign Contest · 2nd Place in Poetry, 2x Poetry FinalistColumbia College Chicago Young Authors Writing Competition · 3rd Place in Poetry, Finalist in Creative NonfictionScholastic Art & Writing Awards · National Silver Medal in Critical EssaySmith College High School Poetry Prize · Finalist
SELECT PUBLICATIONS
OF A WARM BRIGHT POINT · Ghost City Press · (fc microchap with Jaeho Lee)Habitual Prayer · Palette Poetry (fc chapbook in November 2024)POETRY"Falling Out" & "I Have Loved You" · The Rumpus (fc)"For Now" · Surging Tide (fc)"False Elegy" · The Penn Review"The Doppler Effect" · Diode"Postmortem, Concert" · Beaver Mag"Self Portrait as Fraying Seams" · manywor(l)ds"Night Parable" · The Dawn ReviewPROSE"Parallels: The Stars, or Lack Thereof" · Polyphony Lit
“...again and again in this brief but stunning collection I found myself tripping over language so fresh and wise, at times ancient and at times from from electric dreamy future, making new all the places we poets have looked to find out work: into death, into the garden, towards love, and into the mirror. 'Habitual Prayer' has made me a fan of this poet’s magic, how they transfigure language into these precise, lush spells and invocations that unsettle me so. The greedy prayer I cast out to my gods: please, please, more of this, more from this poet.”
—Danez Smith
WORKSHOPS
2023The Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program Poetry Mentee under Claudia CorteseThe Kenyon Review Young Writers' Residential Workshop under Chukwuma Ndulue
EDITORIAL
2023Sophon Lit · Founder & Editor-in-ChiefPolyphony Lit · Genre Managing Editorthe borderline · Poetry EditorActive Voice Mag · Literary EditorCulinary Origami · Prose & Poetry Reader