ABOUT

WRITER

Zoë Ruiz’s writing has been published in The Los Angeles Times, The Believer, The Rumpus, Joyland, The Millions, LitHub and Marketplace, and anthologized in California Prose Directory, Rooted and Golden State Writing. She has received support from Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Arteles, Oregon State University’s Graduate School, and Spring Creek Project. She has an M.F.A. in fiction from Oregon State University and a B.A. in literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has presented her writing at over fifty literary events. Click to learn more about her appearances and writing.

EDITOR

Ruiz edited A Man of Two Faces and Nothing Ever Dies by Pulitzer Prize winning-author Viet Thanh Nguyen. A Man of Two Faces was longlisted for the National Book Award and Nothing Ever Dies was a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award in General Nonfiction. Along with Dave Eggers, Amanda Uhle and Zainab Nasrati, she co-edited I, Witness, a Norton series of nonfiction books written by young people, for young people, and featured in the New York Times Sunday Book Review. She is the former managing editor of The Rumpus. Ruiz has worked with nonprofit organizations, including The Hawkins Project, McSweeney’s and individual clients on book manuscripts and creative projects. To learn more about her editorial work, go here.

COACH

In 2021, Ruiz combined her fifteen years of experience in publishing as a writer and editor, and her deep interest in creativity to help individuals meet their writing goals. During one-on-one sessions, she guides writers through blocks and strengthens their confidence. Her approach is gentle, supportive and direct. In 2025, her commitment to being a trauma-informed coach and her interest in the unconscious and creativity inspired her to pursue a degree in counseling. She is currently a M.A. candidate in counseling psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute where she received The Founders Scholarship.

PRODUCER

Ruiz has produced over a hundred events and has worked with Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, McSweeney’s, PEN America and the Last Bookstore, L.A.’s largest independent bookstore. In 2017, she coordinated The Believer and Black Mountain Institute’s inaugural literary festival. Additionally, she curated READINGS, a Los Angeles based reading series, which featured award winning writers and emerging authors. To learn more about her event organizing, go here.