Juan C Reyes

👋 Hey there —

I’m Juan Carlos Reyes, an author, poet, and essayist whose work explores the depths of human experience with nuance, rigor, and emotional clarity. My stories, poems, and essays have appeared in publications such as Florida Review, Waccamaw Journal, and Hawai’i Review. My debut fiction collection, Three Alarm Fire (Hinton Publishing, 2024), draws on the craft and depth I bring to writers who want to strengthen their voice and impact.

I’ve also written the novella A Summer’s Lynching, winner of the Quarterly West Novella Contest (2017), and have received numerous honors including the Gar LaSalle Artist Trust Storyteller Award, a PEN USA Emerging Voices Fellowship, and a Jack Straw Writers Fellowship.

🧭 What I Bring to Uptales

• A deep and diverse publication history across respected literary journals — helping storytellers understand how to shape work for submission and publication.
• Award-winning craft insight from acclaimed stories and a successful debut collection — perfect for writers seeking editorial clarity and narrative depth.
• Teaching and mentorship experience grounded in real workshop practice: from the Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project to Stetson University’s MFA of the Americas.
• Editorial leadership skills acquired as Executive Editor of Big Fiction Magazine, where I helped writers elevate their narrative voice and editorial discipline.
• Academic expertise in creative writing, currently serving as Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Seattle University — giving context, craft, and pedagogy to all I teach.

🎤 My Guiding Philosophy

“Stories thrive not just in imagination, but in discipline, risk, and the courage to write what matters most.”

✅ Focus Areas

• Fiction development: character, structure, theme, voice, and revision process
• Narrative clarity, craft workshopping, and story shaping
• Poetry and essay coaching — refining voice and conceptual resonance
• Publishing strategy & submission guidance: journals, presses, and contests
• Creative mindset, resilience, and iterative growth for serious writers