ZZ Packer is a talented American writer known for her works of fiction. She gained significant acclaim for her debut collection of short stories called “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere,” which was published in 2003. Her writing often explores themes of race, identity, and the complexities of human relationships, presenting them through richly drawn characters and vivid storytelling. Packer’s work has been praised for its depth, insight, and the way it captures the nuances of the human experience.

ZZ Packer Quotes

1. “I think when we engage in language we are engaging in something that is specifically and primally human.”
— ZZ Packer

2. “Well, as a short—story writer, I don’t think there are any weaknesses to the genre itself. I guess I would say that the difficulty of the form is that one must create an entire world in five to 30 pages, as opposed to 300. There is very little room for fat — you must be economical. And you must begin as close to the end as you possibly can.”
— ZZ Packer

3. “The big issue was cutting. I finally cut as much as I could, about a fourth of the story, and actually liked it.”
— ZZ Packer

4. “Be wary of feeling as though there is not enough room at the table. Oftentimes a female Chinese—American might feel as though she is in competition with another Chinese—American woman writer of the same generation. A writer friend of mine calls it the “There Can Only Be One …” syndrome. This isn’t “Survivor.” The more good writers, of all walks of life and all ethnicities and persuasions, the better.”
— ZZ Packer

5. “The most dangerous stories we make up are the narratives that diminish our inherent worthiness.”
— ZZ Packer

6. “In fiction, we tell the truth.”
— ZZ Packer

7. “Sometimes the only grace to be found in a group of people is their mutual lack of grace.”
— ZZ Packer

8. “Some things don’t mean anything, even though you can’t forget them.”
— ZZ Packer

9. “People often know themselves better through observation than through introspection.”
— ZZ Packer