Interview with Vahid Zakeri

Meet NUNUM's Contributor: Vahid Zakeri

4/28/2025

NUNUM

Blending Flash Fiction & Art

Interview with Vahid Zakeri

What was the first book you remember picking up and reading by yourself?

I don’t remember the first book I read myself, but I do recall some books I loved as a kid. I enjoyed the Persian translation of The Adventures of Tintin and comic adaptations of Jules Verne’s stories, like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. I also remember Good Stories for Good Children by the Iranian writer Mehdi Azar Yazdi.

What writer(s) or book(s) influenced your decision to become a writer?

I was lucky to grow up in a family that loved fiction and encouraged my passion for literature. This definitely played a big role in my decision to become a writer. Some of my earliest experiences with storytelling came from my grandmother, who used to tell me stories from One Thousand and One Nights when I was a child. I remember how much my dad admired Mahmoud Dowlatabadi’s works, especially Kelidar, and how my uncle often talked about Colonel Aureliano Buendía from One Hundred Years of Solitude during family gatherings.

When I was 15 or 16, I read Mummy and Honey by Shahriar Mandanipour, and it left a deep impression on me. That book, in particular, made me realize the power of storytelling and pushed me toward writing fiction.

Is there a writing craft book that you would recommend to new writers?

Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee.

Is there a writer who has influenced your current writing style?

Perhaps Jorge Luis Borges.

Why write flash fiction?

I write flash fiction because I like the challenge of telling an impactful story in a small space. The limited word count forces me to be creative and precise. Also, in today’s fast-paced world, many readers prefer short and powerful stories they can read on their phones in just a few minutes.

Flash fiction allows me to connect with these readers while exploring ideas and emotions.

What advice would you give someone just starting to send their work to journals?

I am still publishing the English translations of my stories, so I don't know if I am the best person to give advice. But I can share some advice that helped me: If a story is rejected 30-40 times, it might be a good idea to revise it before submitting again. Sometimes, a small change can make a big difference.

What challenges did you face in translating your work?

Since my English is not at a literary level, I couldn’t translate my own work from Persian to English with the skill required. So, I had to find a translator. My first challenge was that there are far fewer Persian-to-English translators than English-to-Persian ones. Among those available, I needed someone to capture the original text's meaning, tone, rhythm, feeling, and atmosphere.

Translation is more than just changing words from one language to another—it’s about reimagining the story in a way that preserves its essence.

Sometimes, what works beautifully in one language needs to be adapted differently in another. Finding a translator who understood this challenge was crucial for me.

The story plays with ambiguity, never revealing what the ‘secret of existence’ actually is. Do you think some mysteries are best left unsolved?

At the very least, I’ve tried to hint at what I meant by the ‘secret of existence.’ But I do believe ambiguity is a powerful literary tool. When used skillfully, it creates suspense and makes the story linger in the reader’s mind long after they’ve finished it. It also invites readers to interpret the story in their own way, making it more engaging and thought-provoking.

In The Secret of Existence, the mystery itself drives the story. Each reader will have their own idea of what the secret might be. Is it enlightenment? The realization of nothingness? A brief moment of euphoria, perhaps induced by substance use? Or something so overwhelming that no human can survive knowing it? The story doesn’t provide a direct answer because its power lies in the question, inviting readers to explore their interpretations rather than offering a definitive truth.

How does the Persian language itself shape the way you think about storytelling?

The poetic nature of the Persian language has influenced how I construct my stories. When I write, I pay close attention to the rhythm and flow of my sentences, almost like composing a piece of music. As I mentioned earlier, preserving this rhythm has been one of the challenges in translating my work.

Persian is also a language rich in ambiguity—many words and phrases have multiple meanings depending on the context. This flexibility allows for layers of interpretation, which I try to use in my storytelling. I often explore themes that don’t have a fixed meaning, leaving space for the reader’s understanding.

Vahid Zakeri was born and raised in Shiraz, Iran, and moved to Vancouver, Canada, in 2008. He has published two collections of short stories in Persian and has received local literary awards. Vahid’s stories mix speculative and literary fiction, aiming to provoke thought and inspire reflection.