Overview

"The first major book for writers to more effectively engage with complex socio-political issues-a critical first step in creating social change The first major book for writers to more effectively engage with complex socio-political issues-a critical first step in creating social change Writers are witnesses and scribes to society's conscience but writing about social issues in the twenty-first century requires a new, sharper toolkit. Craft and Conscience helps writers weave together their narrative craft, analytical and research skills, and their conscience to create prose which makes us feel the individual and collective impact of crucial issues of our time. Kavita Das guides writers to take on nuanced perspectives and embrace intentionality through a social justice lens. She challenges writers to unpack their motivations for writing about an issue and to understand that ""writing, irrespective of genre or outlet, is an act of political writing,"" regardless of intention. The book includes essays from a fascinating mix of authors, including James Baldwin, Alexander Chee, Kaitlyn Greenidge, George Orwell, Roxane Dunbar-Ortiz, Gaiutra Bahadur, Jaquira Diaz, and Imani Perry. By including Das's own perspective and those of the featured writers about motivations and approaches to writing about fraught social issues, this book both demystifies the process of engaging social issues on the page, and underscores the intentionality and sensitivity that must go into the work."

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9780807046494

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Reviews

A fascinating and forceful guide to stepping up and speaking out on the page. -Susan Shapiro, author of The Byline Bible and The Book Bible Brilliant! A must-read for anyone who cares deeply about social and political issues and wants to make their own voice heard. Kavita Das's Craft and Conscience aims to bring out the inner activist in your writing-whether you're an emerging writer or an established one-by showing you how to articulate your motivations, by showcasing essays from masters of the genre, and by analyzing what forceful, well-thought arguments are made of. -Laurie Gwen Shapiro, author of The Stowaway An instructive guide for writers hoping to move the needle, Craft and Conscience gathers some of our best contemporary writers, like Alexander Chee, Kaitlyn Greenidge, and Nicole Chung, while Kavita Das's steady voice introduces prospective writers to critical writing in our dystopian era. -Matthew Salesses, author of Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping For writers seeking guidance on how to write about social justice with compassion and insight, Das curates an eclectic mix of essays by authors who've long contemplated the immense struggles facing humanity, while proffering a thoughtful way of bearing witness to the world that can help them get there. -Tanais, author of In Sensorium: Notes for My People and Bright Lines Kavita Das's book is part how-to, part call to action. It is 100 percent lyrical and passionate and will resonate with anyone who is compelled to share and transform narratives that reflect the world. Filled with prose and practicality from some of the greatest writers and thinkers of our times, Craft and Conscience feels like the action plan we always intend to put in place after our fiery salons, dinner parties, and community gatherings. It is more needed than ever. -S. Mitra Kalita, founder and publisher of Epicenter NYC and cofounder of URL Media

A fascinating and forceful guide to stepping up and speaking out on the page. -Susan Shapiro, author of The Byline Bible and The Book Bible

Author Information

Kavita Das has taught nonfiction writing at the New School and Catapult and has written about social issues for ten years. Previously, she worked in the social change sector for fifteen years, addressing issues ranging from community and housing inequities to public health disparities and racial injustice. Das is also the author of the biography Poignant Song- The Life and Music of Lakshmi Shankar. Find her online at kavitadas.com and on Twitter (@kavitamix).

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