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Celebrating Pegah Ouji: WritingWorkshops.com Alumna Named 2025 PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow
by Writing Workshops Staff
19 hours ago
We're thrilled to announce that WritingWorkshops.com alumna Pegah Ouji has been named one of PEN America's 2025 Emerging Voices Fellows! This prestigious fellowship recognizes writers whose voices and stories are often underrepresented in the literary landscape, providing them with mentorship, professional development, and a supportive community.
For those unfamiliar with the program, PEN America's Emerging Voices Fellowship is a highly competitive, year-long mentorship program that supports writers who lack access to traditional literary networks. Being selected as a fellow is a remarkable achievement, and we couldn't be prouder of Pegah's recognition.
Fiction as a Pathway to Truth
In her PEN Ten interview, Pegah shared a profound reflection on her relationship with storytelling that speaks to the heart of why she writes:
"I see fiction as a pathway to truth, through discrete, subversive alleys and thorny yet dazzling backroads. Fiction is Perseus' Aegis through which I aim to slay the Medusas of my own self-delusion and ignorance. The best pieces of writing, even those widely imagined, reveal assertions about reality that shake my taken-for-granted assumptions. Then I'm left, once again, with the task of reconstructing my understanding of the world and my place in it. I've come to love this process of destruction and re-creation. In my own writing, I aim to capture honestly and imaginatively, the story of Iranian people. My goal is to pursue a more expansive notion of reality. Growing up my grandmother put me to sleep with Iranian fairy tales but each night, she'd alter some details– the ending, who were the heroes, or the villains. This has fueled my love for what-could-have-beens and what-ifs. What if Iranians weren't characterized by oppression? What if Iranians became custodians of their own beauty? What if progress and preservation of tradition could go hand in hand?"
This powerful vision drives Pegah's work as she explores the complexities of Iranian identity and experience through both Farsi and English.
A Journey of Growth and Community
We are thrilled to have been a small part of Pegah's writing journey, who was a student in our 12-Week Story Collection Draft Generator with Chaya Bhuvaneswar in April 2023, and our Fiction Master Class: Exploring Strategies for Story Beginnings with National Book Award Finalist Karen E. Bender.
Her dedication to craft and community has already led to impressive accomplishments. Pegah Ouji is an Iranian American writer whose work has appeared in or is forthcoming from Joyland, Epiphany, Fugue, and Split Lip, among other publications. She has received scholarships from Kundiman, Sarah Lawrence Writing Institute, Hudson Valley Writers Center, Literary Arts, and GrubStreet. She was a 2024 Emerging Writer Fellow at SmokeLong Quarterly.
Join Our Community of Writers
Pegah's success story is a testament to what happens when talented writers find the right community and commit to their craft. At WritingWorkshops.com, we're dedicated to creating that supportive space where emerging voices can develop their skills, connect with established authors, and find their way to publication and recognition. Whether you're working on your first story collection, perfecting your craft, or seeking a literary community that understands your journey, we invite you to explore our online classes and join us in celebrating the art of storytelling. Who knows? You might be our next alumna to earn a prestigious fellowship or publication.
Congratulations, Pegah! We can't wait to see where your powerful voice takes you next.
