We are thrilled to announce the 2026 cohort of honorable mentions, finalists, and grand prize winners of the Betty L. Yu & Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prizes, established in partnership with TaiwaneseAmerican.org in honor of Charles Yu’s parents, longstanding leaders in the Taiwanese American community.
Now in its sixth year, the prize continues to expand.This year, we had four returning judges: Charles Yu, Alvina Ling, Shawna Yang Ryan, and Grace Loh Prasad; as well as a guest reader, prize alumni Averylin Cummins, who reviewed and selected Poetry entries. During the submission period, Charles Yu also hosted “Office Hours,” a virtual Q&A and sharing session for aspiring and established writers to ask Charles and each other questions, offer encouragement, and share what they’re working on.
Thank you to every writer who submitted their work, and congratulations to this year’s cohort.
After a blind deliberation period, the judges have selected the following:
ADULT CATEGORY
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Esther Fung – “LAST NIGHT IN TAIPEI” (Fiction)
Esther Fung is a writer based out of Virginia but born in Taipei, Taiwan. When she is not writing, she is working as the Director of Marketing for PangoBooks or sharing book recommendations online at @estherfungreads. She has been featured in BuzzFeed, Oprah Magazine, and once on Lana Condor’s Instagram story.
FINALISTS
Christine Huang 黃凱琳 – “TO MY DATE AT THE WONDER BAR” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Christine Huang 黃凱琳 is a queer writer and facilitator and the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants. Her work, which often explores insurgency, language, rage, and desire, has appeared in The Offing, ANMLY, Pinch, many wor(l)ds, and Foglifter. She is a 2026 Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, and her collaborative project with poet Adam Ahmed won Black Warrior Review’s 2026 Experimental Forms Contest judged by George Abraham.
Eddie Lo – “THEY’VE ALWAYS COME TO US, AND WE’VE ALWAYS STAYED” (Fiction)
Eddie Lo is a writer born and raised in Taiwan. He later moved to California to attend UC Santa Barbara as an international student and is now based in Toronto.
Lena Chen – “DRIVING LESSONS” (Fiction)
Lena is a Taiwanese-American writer working on a novel. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing board games, attempting crosswords, and jogging around San Francisco saying hi to the neighborhood cats.
Emma Tzeng – “OUR YIN AND YANG FAMILY” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Emma is a Taiwanese-American mother, wife, and writer based in Los Angeles, CA. She believes that storytelling has the power to transcend cultures and supersede long-seated stereotypes.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Sharon S. Y. Lee – “ISOLATION TANK” (Fiction)
Sharon S.Y. Lee works as a nonprofit legal services attorney and serves as a board member of San Diego Writers, Ink, a literary arts organization. She is the winner of the 2026 John Steinbeck Award for Fiction. Find her at www.sharonsylee.com and Instagram @sharonwritenow.
J.C. Hsyu – “THIRD TIME HIRO RAN AWAY” (Fiction)
J.C. Hsyu is a Taiwanese-American SFF writer, born in Taipei and raised in Los Angeles. A Clarion Writers’ Workshop alum, her cyberpunk short fiction appeared in _The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction_ and subsequently _Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Eight_. Her Chinese fairy tale picture book, _The Dinner That Cooked Itself_, was published by Flying Eye Books. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter, working in entertainment production and writing a xianxia epic fantasy, and can usually be found online (@jchsyu) rambling about everything from movies to stationery supplies.
Adela Wu – “CREATURE COMFORTS” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Adela Wu, MD, is a second-generation Chinese-Taiwanese American, neurosurgeon, writer, and illustrator, who currently lives in the Bay Area. She has published science writing in NPR through the AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship as well as in ABC News; her creative works appear in Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine, CLOSLER, TaiwaneseAmerican.org, and Stanford Medicine Magazine, for which she has won national recognition for personal essay-writing through AAMC and CASE. Her writing has been supported by VONA, GrubStreet, AWP, and the Seventh Wave. She is currently working on a hybrid memoir about family, illness, culture, and grief. Her Instagram handle is @adelawu.
Billie Chang – “MOTHERS” (Fiction)
Billie Chang is a writer from the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find her prose work at XRAY Mag, Surely Mag, Same Faces Collective, and others.
Hilda Hoy – “MOTHER TONGUE” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Hilda Hoy (金邦琳) is a Taiwanese Canadian writer, editor, and translator. In addition to working as a reporter for the Toronto Star and the Prague Post, she has published narrative non-fiction in Roads & Kingdoms, Slate, and Narratively. Her contest entry Mother Tongue was begun while serving as writer in residence at the Taiwan Literature Base in Taipei, and published in book form by Wind&Bones in March 2026.
Cindy Cheng – “A PILGRIMAGE” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Writer biography not submitted.
Emmeline Chang – “ISLAND” (Fiction)
“Emmeline Chang’s writing is published in HuffPost, ACM, BigCityLit, and Seal Press and Tarcher/Putnam anthologies, and supported by Tin House, VONA, the Kenyon Review, Ragdale, Millay, and VCCA. She has taught writing at the PEN American Center and Gotham Writers’ Workshop. Emmeline graduated from Princeton, has an MFA from Columbia University, and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons. Her website is www.emmelinechang.com.
Joyce Ahn – “MANHUNT” (Fiction)
Joyce Ahn wrote her first story when she was seven years old. Titled ‘Pat the Rat,’ it featured cute crayon illustrations and many misspelled words. Since then, Joyce has written many more short stories, novels, and flash fiction (and has considerably improved her spelling). When Joyce is not writing, she is usually at the beach, a boba shop, or a bookstore.
Kelly Chu – “WUZHISHAN” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Writer biography not submitted.
ADULT POETRY SELECTIONS (edited by Averylin Cummins)
FIRST SELECTION
Albert Hwang – “THE GEOMETRY OF SURRENDER”
Albert Hwang is a Taiwanese American poet from Illinois. He is a 2004 James B. Reston New York Times Gold Key winner (Scholastic Arts & Writing). His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Heavy Feather Review, Inscape Journal, New Verse News, Unbroken Journal, Eunoia Review, and other publications.
FINALIST
Noel Wang – “FROM INSIDE THE FISH JONAH PRAYED TO THE LORD HIS GOD (JONAH 2:1)” & OTHER POEMS
Noel Wang is a writer and recent college graduate from Minnesota. Currently, she studies Mandarin Chinese and teaches math and physics in Taipei, Taiwan.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Jeanelle Fu – “HAKKA POEMS”
Jeanelle Fu is a Taiwanese-American poet and creative storyteller from Los Angeles. Her debut work “Blueprints” is in circulation in the LA County Library and featured by TaiwaneseAmerican.org. She is a typewriter poet and has written for international brands such as Anthropologie and Canada Goose, as well as non-profits Downtown Women’s Center and Culture Shock. @lovejnell (IG)
Jasmyne Le – “A LETTER TO THE KUDZU VINE”
Writer biography not submitted.
COLLEGE CATEGORY
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Susan Hong (she/her) is a Taiwanese American writer with a penchant for penning stories about people on messy, emotional journeys to discover who they are and where their places are in the world. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts, where she studies how humans and machines think, practices piano at odd hours, and takes late-night walks along the Charles River. You can find her on Instagram at @sshwrites_.
FINALIST
Davina Jou – “BEAUTIFUL SCALES” (Fiction)
Davina Jou is a writer and artist studying Rhetoric & Legal Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. They are currently a commentary and creative prose staff writer for the Daily Californian, where they write about toxic AI yuri, sexy chicken ads, and the end of the world. They’re also the editor-in-chief of Pen and Palette (@penandpaletteofficial), a multimedia digital magazine. Otherwise, their work has been featured on TaiwaneseAmerican.org and The Blue Marble Review. You can find them through @toto.dreamer on Instagram.
HONORABLE MENTION
Jay Kang Romanus – “THE ONE WHO CARRIES ABINAKHEE HAS DIED” (Fiction)
Jay Kang Romanus is a queer, mixed, Asian-American author of speculative fiction that explores the experience of living this intersectionality in worlds not our own. You can find his short stories in magazines such as PodCastle and Kaleidotrope, as well as multiple anthologies. He is also the editor of Dudes Rock, an anthology of speculative fiction celebrating queer masculinity published in 2025. He can be observed at the handle @jellicle_jay on Twitter/Instagram, @jelliclejay.bsky.social on Bluesky, or his website jaykangromanus.com.
HIGH SCHOOL CATEGORY
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Serena Shih – “ASSEMBLY REQUIRED: FUNCTIONING WOMAN” (Fiction)
Serena Shih writes to map the in-betweens: moments where silence hums louder than words and when the ordinary things begin to glow. She finds stories in cracked windows, late nights spent studying, and the weight of small decisions. Her work drifts between poetry and prose, always working to blur boundaries. When she’s not writing, she’s people-watching in cafés, online shopping for outfits she’ll never wear, or overanalyzing song lyrics that feel like diary entries. Her instagram handle is @serenasznn.
FINALISTS
Makela Shen – “A RECIPE FOR ME” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Makela Shen is a 10th grader. Her work has been recognized by NCTE, Blue Marble Review, Writers of the Future, and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. An avid reader, she nurtures an unhealthy obsession for Hello Kitty and has a boundless passion for dance
Alivia Hsu – “HOW TO BECOME A BELOVED PERSON” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Alivia attests she has no embarrassing moments as she has always been a flawless citizen. The only thing that cracks her veil of perfection is the presence of one little sister and three little cousins currently and permanently invading her home. Being the responsible older family member that she is, Alivia feels obligated to share her wisdom through copious amounts of yelling with all tiny humans who are violating the rules. Unfortunately, the aforementioned tiny humans have not always appreciated her heroic efforts to mold them into people who neither destroy the house nor their futures. Although Alivia is working on not having her patience squeezed out like a tired lemon on a daily basis, she ironically dreams of becoming a grandmother to many more tiny people. This may be because she has a fairy tale idea of living in her tiny yet cozy sunlit cottage surrounded by the woodsy scent of books and comfort and overgrown plants with many loving and appreciative grandchildren she can send home as soon as they start to scream. Since this dream will take many decades to materialize as she is only thirteen, in the meantime, she is frittering away her time doing her homework.
Ru-Xi Wu – “BRIDGES OF INK AND ACCENT” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Ru-Xi Wu is a high school student in Taipei, and her writing is shaped by her family experiences and love for adventure. Inspired by her A-Ma’s love for storytelling, she explores themes of memory, identity, and intergenerational connection in her work. When she’s not writing, you can find her at the beach, traveling, or eating pancakes.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Tiffany 佳涵 Tang – “(CATADROMO)US” (Fiction)
Tiffany 佳涵 Tang is a Chinese-American poet and essayist. The great-granddaughter of Han Chinese and Indigenous Taiwanese peoples, she has explored her roots via language, folklore, and diasporic poetry, which has been recognized by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the National English Honor Society, and more. When not writing, she can be found flower-pressing or filling out bucket lists.
Sophia Kao – “STATUE” (Fiction)
Sophia Kao is a junior. She is president of FASCA (Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors), an organization which represents Taiwan at multicultural events around Massachusetts, an editor for The Musket, and a student writer for the LexObserver. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, singing, and listening to music.
Naomi Hsu – “SPLIT” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Naomi Hsu is a high school writer in the Bay Area who loves creative nonfiction and journalism. When she isn’t writing, you can find her dancing in a studio, trying out new restaurants with her family, or taking an afternoon nap.
Sebastian Lee – “I LAUGHED TOO” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Sebastian Lee is a student writer and a member of the Siraya Taiwanese Indigenous community, whose creative work explores identity and the relationship between personal experience and larger culture. He studies at Taipei American School, where he engages with writing as a way to tell stories and relaxes in the libraries.
Yvonne Hsu – “STICKY RICE CAKES” (Fiction)
Writer biography not submitted.
HIGH SCHOOL POETRY SELECTIONS (edited by Averylin Cummins)
FIRST SELECTION
Talan Lee – “CRADLE” & OTHER POEMS
Talan Tee is a Taipei-based poet born in Phoenix, Arizona. His work appears or is forthcoming in The Adroit Journal, The Chestnut Review, Santa Clara Review, among others, and has been nationally recognized by the YoungArts Foundation and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. He is a sophomore at Taipei American School. Instagram: @talanwasted
FINALIST
Austin Bate-Agborsangaya – “WATER GHOSTS” & OTHER POEMS
Austin Bate-Agborsangaya is a sophomore at the Taipei American School who daylights as a long-suffering STEM student and moonlights as an artist and creative. He is a finalist for the West Trade Review Prize for Poetry, and his work appears or is forthcoming at the Weight Journal, Expression Magazine, and elsewhere.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Grace Koo – “A MOUTHFUL OF DAWN” & OTHER POEMS
Grace Koo is a junior. Her works on Taiwanese heritage and familial grief have been recognized by Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and the Creative Youth Awards. When not at school, she can be found spreading Taiwanese culture through performances by the Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors, or advocating against dating violence through Team Stronger Than You Think and the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence.
Cara Wang – (FIVE) UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
Cara Wang is a 16-year-old writer from California. Her work has been recognized nationally by the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition, the M.F.K Fisher Foundation, and the Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Contest. In addition to writing, Cara is an avid cellist.
MIDDLE GRADE CATEGORY
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Laurie Fang – “APOLOGY FLOWERS” (Fiction)
Writer biography not submitted.
FINALISTS
“SPLINTER: THE MYSTICAL STICK MAN” (Fiction)
J.G. Wins is a pseudonym for Josiah Wu, because it sounds very sleek and professional.The professional slacker enjoys reading Trials of Apollo and asking God for jokes (casual prayer is so much easier to perform than a formal prayer) and blessings. His favorite MCU superhero is Deadpool because it is the only one who relates to his sense of humor. He lives in (a place he can’t tell you because he likes copying Michael Buckley), California, with his family and one very annoying budget robodog.
Quinton Liu – “UNTITLED” (Fiction)
Quinton Liu is an 8th-grade student. He enjoys cooking, baking, and sports. He lives with his mother, father, and brother. When not reading, Quinton is often playing waterpolo, or hanging out with friends and family.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Timmy Lopez – “A THOUSAND LIKES” (Fiction)
Writer biography not submitted.
Mandy Liu – “HOW MOVING TO THE UNITED STATES CHANGES ME INTO AN INTROVERT” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Writer biography not submitted.
Sophie Jeng – “SEE YOU NEXT YEAR” (Creative Non-Fiction)
Writer biography not submitted.
Clara Wang – “HOME SWEET HOME” (Fiction)
Writer biography not submitted.
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