Picture a storyteller who transformed a fleeting office encounter into a gripping tale of race and ambition—meet Zakiya Dalila Harris! This American author burst onto the literary scene with her debut novel, The Other Black Girl, a genre-bending thriller that mixes sharp social commentary with page-turning suspense. Drawing from her own experiences in the publishing world, Harris crafts stories that challenge conventions and spark conversations, earning her a spot as a bold new voice in contemporary fiction.
With a Hulu adaptation bringing her work to the screen and praise from outlets like The New York Times and NPR, Harris is redefining what it means to navigate corporate America as a Black woman. Her wit, insight, and fearless storytelling make her a must-read for anyone craving fiction that entertains and provokes.
The Making of Zakiya Dalila Harris
Born and raised in Hamden, Connecticut, Zakiya Dalila Harris grew up in predominantly white spaces, an experience that later shaped her writing. She studied English Literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before earning an MFA in creative writing from The New School in New York. It was there that poet Hettie Jones praised her sharp editing skills, nudging her toward a career in publishing. Harris landed a role as an editorial assistant at Knopf/Doubleday, where she spent nearly three years immersed in the book world, observing its lack of diversity and subtle power dynamics firsthand.
A pivotal moment came in 2019 when Harris, then an assistant editor, encountered another Black woman in the office bathroom—a rare occurrence that sparked the idea for her debut novel. Feeling the pull of her own writing dreams, she left publishing to focus on The Other Black Girl, balancing freelance editing and teaching to make it happen. Her gamble paid off, launching her into literary stardom.
Zakiya Dalila Harris’s Unforgettable Stories
Harris’s debut, The Other Black Girl (2021), is a satirical thriller that follows Nella Rogers, a Black editorial assistant at a fictional publishing house, Wagner Books. When another Black woman, Hazel, joins the team, Nella anticipates camaraderie but uncovers a sinister conspiracy instead. Blending horror, satire, and social critique, the novel dissects microaggressions, performative diversity, and the pressures Black women face in white-dominated workplaces. Critics hailed it as “Get Out meets The Devil Wears Prada,” praising its sharp wit and chilling twists.
Harris’s writing style is electric—conversational yet incisive, with a knack for weaving humor into heavy themes. Drawing inspiration from Jordan Peele’s horror and Nella Larsen’s Passing, she exploresව0web:0⁊ explores race, class, and identity through a lens that feels both timely and timeless. Her essays and reviews, published in outlets like Cosmopolitan, Guernica, and The Rumpus, showcase her ability to blend personal narrative with cultural analysis, a skill that carries into her fiction.
While The Other Black Girl remains her only novel to date, Harris is reportedly working on a new work of fiction exploring Black American lives. Her involvement in the Hulu adaptation of her debut, where she serves as co-writer and executive producer alongside Rashida Jones, highlights her versatility, bringing her story to a broader audience with a fresh ending tailored for TV.
Why Zakiya Dalila Harris Matters
Zakiya Dalila Harris’s impact lies in her ability to hold a mirror to corporate America, exposing its systemic biases with humor and heart. The Other Black Girl has ignited book club debates and classroom discussions, offering rich material for analyzing race, identity, and power dynamics. By centering Black women’s experiences, Harris challenges the publishing industry to rethink diversity beyond tokenism, advocating for authentic representation in storytelling.
Her work resonates globally, connecting with readers who see their own struggles in Nella’s journey. As a rising star, Harris is paving the way for more diverse voices in literature, proving that stories about Black identity can be thrilling, universal, and commercially successful—her novel sold for over $1 million after a 14-way bidding war. Her legacy is one of courage, calling out uncomfortable truths while keeping readers hooked.
- Born: Hamden, Connecticut
- Key Work: The Other Black Girl (2021)
- Education: BA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; MFA, The New School
- Notable Recognition: New York Times Bestseller, Good Morning America Book Club Pick
Snag The Other Black Girl and dive into Zakiya Dalila Harris’s thrilling blend of satire and suspense—you won’t put it down!