“Writing and social change work are both about transformation,” writes Kavita Das in the introduction to this craft book examining writing through the lens of social justice. The book features essays by Das as well as classic and contemporary essays by James Baldwin, Alexander, Chee, Jaquira Díaz, Roxane Dunbar-Ortiz, Kaitlyn Greenidge, Imani Perry, and others. Each chapter includes engaging questions for writers to consider and covers a variety of topics—such as the nuances behind writing personal narratives, understanding cultural sensitivity and avoiding cultural appropriation, and the relationship between writer, reader, and subject. Ideal for any writer seeking tools on how to integrate collective social issues into their writing, Craft and Conscience rises to the occasion by offering a multitude of perspectives on the ways in which writing is a political act. “When writing about social issues is effective, it has the power to spark a personal transformation that feeds into collective social and cultural transformation,” writes Das.
