Every now and then, a novel comes along and steers the dialogue in such a way that even those who haven’t read it yet, can sense its buzz and importance. Enter: The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris, which is currently being developed into a TV series by Hulu and remains the book everyone is talking about this summer.

Before writing this book, I worked in publishing as an editorial assistant, and then as an assistant editor after two years. I had done an MFA in creative writing right before I went into publishing, and I was doing a lot of writing workshops that required me to review other people’s writing. That led to my desire to work in publishing, but I have to say, I’ve always wanted to be a writer myself. So while I was working in publishing, I was also freelancing and ghostwriting. I was still trying to be as creative as I could be, which was hard. When I was promoted to assistant editor, that was the moment I thought, ‘if this is going to be my career, I’m going to commit to it.’

However, publishing has a lot of problems. In some ways, it felt like it wasn’t developing with the times as quickly as it should have been and I was one of the very few Black people at my imprint where I worked, as well as the only Black woman in editorial.

It was during my childhood. I was shy growing up and very quiet. I really enjoyed writing stories and making them into books with illustrations to show to my parents. I was also a big Goosebumps and Roald Dahl fan. I liked stories that tended to be quirky or out of this world and that translated to my tastes. My Dad is also a writer and teaches journalism, so that’s always been in my life too. I think writing is sometimes seen as not a viable way of living, and although it can be challenging, my parents encouraged me to pursue it when I wanted to.

Nella is an editorial assistant in her 20s, who was born and raised in New England. She has been the only Black person working at Wagner books for the last two years. So even though she’s the only one, and she’s dealing with microaggressions and speaking out for all Black people in all spaces, she’s also grown very used to being the only Black person. This is because of her time growing up in Connecticut and the fact she went to a very white school – she’s always had one foot in this world.

However, since her childhood Nella has undergone a lot of changes; she has become more aware of her Blackness and she’s become more aware of the privilege of being raised in a middle-class family. She had a lot of experiences that other Black people haven’t, so there are complexities to consider. She also has to navigate Wagner Books and this 1950s style way of doing things whilst trying to work her way up the ladder in the hope of being the next Black editor.

I found Black people in publishing communities, and there would be mixers and events but it’s different from working with people directly. I wished I had at least one person to turn to; to discuss interpretations and things that could be problematic.

Something I’ve wanted to really get out with a book was that a lot of the benefits of having diversity isn’t just about numbers; it’s about having an environment that feels better. It’s important to just feel like you can bring things up, and I think that’s easier when you’re not the only Black person or the minority. Diversity means you can express yourself and your feelings without them being coded, or seen as “the Black view.”

In the book, when Hazel comes into the picture, Nella is no longer “the Black view,” she’s being compared to Hazel. Hazel becomes the “new Black view”, and they can’t just exist together. This is another reason why it’s important to make these environments a lot more populated.

It’s challenging in a lot of ways because of everybody else. I won’t spoil it, but a lot of what Hazel does comes from the environment and the world we’re in, which still has ties to white supremacy. Some progress has been made, and there are people publishing who are more forward-thinking, but I think there’s still this mentality of “this is the way it’s always been done,” so we don’t need to get more people from other races in.

Both Hazel and Nella are suffering from the sense that there can only be “one of us”, and I think that plays a big part in their relationship. However, their personalities are so different in a lot of ways too. All of this combined creates the perfect storm for this really complicated relationship.

So much fun. I think because I’m such an agreeable person – such a Nella in a lot of ways – I’ve always wanted to go with the flow and get along with people. So I enjoyed writing Hazel because she just throws the wrench in everything. Also, I just love complicated female friendships, and both characters were being so passive-aggressive at times. It was great fun to show all the ways in which that manifested in this white office, where nobody else knew what was going on.

Bloomsbury actually came up with a cover. We hadn’t talked about it yet but they presented it to me, and I was amazed. To me, it represents not just Black hair but also Black thought. There are pieces that are broken, and I think it speaks to how as Black people, we don’t always all agree on the same thing, which is a key theme of the book. I think it also implies how when we’re not united, we’re not fully functioning. In the same way, the cover shows it’s not a tool that is useful anymore.

I have always been a big fan of horror and sci-fi genres, so I knew that I wanted to do something that matched that sensibility. I love Get Out, The Twilight Zone, and Black Mirror. I’m drawn to those stories that start in a certain place and then go down a whole different path. So immediately, when I was writing about the two women, I knew there would be something off with one of them and that something would very likely be not of this world.

It was very unexpected. I wasn’t writing with that in mind, and so to have it kind of connect with people in that way is really remarkable. I’m currently co-writing it with Rashida Jones, and it’s so exciting. It’s been thrilling getting a handle on this world, and it’s so different from books – but very fun.

Search Parties which is on HBO now. I’m very into true crime, and the story follows the main character looking for this girl she went to college with who disappears. It’s psychological, funny, and dark, so it’s right up my alley.

This might be a big claim, but I want readers to feel like they’ve learned something about themselves. Whether it’s related to prejudice or something that happens in the book, that they do and don’t realise, it might be problematic. I think that once the conversations are had by all people – not just white people – the ways in which we treat each other, the ways in which we see ourselves, and the ways in which we move through the world can only get better.

Hopefully, it will also inspire people to aim for more meaningful diversity and really think about what it means to have an inclusive workplace. A workplace that people can not just be in, but thrive in, especially people, young people of colour.

I’ve almost finished a book called Cultish by Amanda Montel. It asks a lot of questions about human nature and why people join cults, as well as what it means to call something a cult. I love reading about language. I’m also really enjoying The Process by Robert Jones Jr and All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris, which isn’t out until November. It opens with a Black woman finding her white boss dead in the office, who was also her lover. It’s fast-paced, fun, and very well written.

Be open-minded. I think it’s important to try different kinds of writing. I chose non-fiction for my masters and ended up really enjoying it, which made me write and research in ways I’ve never done before. That was really useful for writing this book. I’ve also written book reviews, and I’ve done copywriting. Try and do as much writing as possible – it’ll keep you flexible and give you more options for careers.

Right now, I’m just focusing on the TV show. It’s so new to me still, so I’m really trying to make sure I don’t rush into any other creative projects just yet. I’m enjoying getting a handle on this and having so much fun.