Shirley Chan is writing a memoir about growing up in her parent's Chinese restaurant. To procrastinate, she also writes essays and poems.

When the words part of her brain is tired, she embroiders wildly, which is not a technique recommended by any formal school of embroidery. Her work has been featured in a VR museum.


︎ irleywrites
︎ irleywrites (at) gmail (dot) com (irley = shirley without the “shh” cuz I’m loud)

Reviews & Interviews


interview
On Rejection: Shirley Chan
Collected Rejections


Workshops & Fellowships


workshop
Manuscript Bootcamp (Fall 2023)
Pam Houston

workshop
Tin House (Summer 2022)
Sarah Gerard

fellowship
Rooted & Written (2022)
Celeste Chan and JD Beltran

workshop
Writing by Writers (Fall 2022)
Melissa Febos


Writing community


Assistant prose editor (2023)
The ASP Bulletin

Member
Bereket Writing Community

CNF reader (2022)
Reservoir Road Literary Review