Cristina Fríes is a fiction writer and educator.
Call me Tina. I’m a PEN America Award winning fiction writer and educator based in San Francisco, CA.
As a fiction writer, I know the struggles of facing the blank page. I know what it feels like to be stuck, or to spiral over finding the just-right word. I also know the deep, satisfying feeling of writing something that is true, and that is my own.
As an educator, coach, and tutor, it’s my mission is to help people become better writers. I do this by getting to know you, uncovering your growth areas, showing you how to lean into your strengths, and offering personalized exercises. Let’s connect and discover how I can help you face the page with confidence and become the writer, thinker, and creator you want to be.
Accolades & Credentials
Education:
I hold an MA in Creative Writing from UC Davis, where I won the Best Graduate Short Story Prize. I hold BA in English from UC Davis, where I graduated Summa Cum Laude and received several fiction writing awards.
Writing:
I’ve written a collection of short stories, and am at work on a novel (represented by WME Agency) and a full-length opera (commissioned by West Edge Opera). My stories can be found in various top-tier literary magazines, like The Michigan Quarterly Review, EPOCH, The Adroit Journal, swamp pink, Vestal Review, and more. Find my fiction writing website here.
Teaching, Tutoring & Coaching:
I’ve taught English, Creative Writing, and EFL for 10+ years at a college prep high school, UC Davis, and abroad. My writing coaching & tutoring business has grown since 2023, and now I’m so excited to expand my offerings.
Awards & Fellowships:
PEN America Debut Short Story Award, 2018
Tin House Summer Workshop Scholar, 2019
Fulbright Creative Writing Grant, Argentina, 2020
American Short(er) Fiction semifinalist, 2023
Adroit Journal Anthony Veasna So Scholarship, 2024
Steinbeck Fellowship Finalist, 2024
Writing by Writers Baja Residency, Sole Winner, 2024
Pushcart Prize Nominee, 2026
Best Microfiction Nominee, 2026
My Approach
Centering Joy
I believe that our best writing is fueled by joy. When we work together, I aim to uncover ways for you to actually enjoy the act of writing. I offer exercises based on your particular interests that will help you write with excitement and authenticity.
Individualized
Each person has a voice to refine and unlock. In a world saturated with AI slop, I believe that the future of our culture & work lives in your unique voice, story, and vision. I work with teens and adults to understand their particular relationship to writing, and devise a personalized plan to help them write with more confidence and joy so that their authenticity shines.
Iterative
Writing is an iterative practice. Through open-minded exploration, I can help you unlock a story, essay, or sense of direction in a writing project. Whether it’s a college application essay, a short story, a novel, a self-help book, or something else, I can help you discover, develop, refine, and meet your vision.