Description

The first major book for writers to more effectively engage with complex sociopolitical issuesa critical first step in creating social change

Writers are witnesses and scribes to societys conscience but writing about social issues in the twentyfirst 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 DunbarOrtiz Gaiutra Bahadur Jaquira Daz and Imani Perry By including Dass 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