Craft and Conscience

“Craft and Conscience is that rigorously researched and lushly written “How-to” book that every single human who has dared to write needs in our lives. Kavita Das does heavy lifting here, of course, but I’m most taken by the way Das never sacrifices dynamism for structure or tradition. Rarely do we get books that encourage readers to reconsider how we read and write, and how we approach the acts of reading and writing. The book is really about preparation as much as execution and I found that intellectually and soulfully invigorating.”
—Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy: An American Memoir

“In Craft and Conscience, Kavita Das constructs a vocabulary, a methodology, and an ethics for socially engaged writing, while bringing together a staggering range of writers and issues. In the process, Das makes a profound and compelling argument for why this kind of writing matters and the radical, transformative power it holds. This book has restored my faith in the written word.”
—Lacy M. Johnson, author of The Reckonings

“Kavita Das has assembled a vital primer on writing with purpose, a guidebook that our turbulent times demand. In addition to her own insightful essays, she has compiled an impressive roster of dauntless thinkers who don’t hesitate to share necessary and even troubling truths. These essays not only address the role of writing in exposing tyranny and injustice but also provide glimpses of a world where love and equality shape our lives.”
—Jabari Asim, author of We Can’t Breathe: On Black Lives, White Lies, and the Art of Survival

“Writing with conscience’ is sometimes pitted against ‘good writing’ as though the two cannot mean the same thing. Das blows up this false equivalency. Craft and Conscience is so clear, accessible, and profound, I wondered how a book on these themes had not existed before. The answer: it needed Das, who combines her unique skills as reader and writer to demonstrate how great writing always sees deeply into the human heart. As a teacher, Das breaks down precisely how and why such writing—across race, gender, and class—reverberates, inspiring and challenging us to do our best and most intentional work. A book of phenomenal intelligence, generosity, and wisdom, and indispensable for the classroom and for anyone who wants to make words matter.”
—Marie Mutsuki Mockett, author of American Harvest: God, Country, and Farming in the Heartland

“This compendium is a brilliant and kaleidoscopic must-read for writers. Das gathers up a wide-ranging and whip-smart array of thinkers while serving us a feast of timely advocacy and learning.”
—Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments

“This is the book I wish I’d had when I was starting out! What a joy to have it now. Kavita Das orients us with great precision to the many contradictory considerations that nonfiction writers face, from how we enter the story to how we balance dramatic elements and historical context. I found myself reading and nodding in agreement, thinking: yes, that’s exactly right!”
—Daisy Hernández, author of The Kissing Bug: A True Story of a Family, an Insect, and a Nation’s Neglect of a Deadly Disease

“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

“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: A Young Man’s Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica

“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.”
—Tanaïs, author of In Sensorium: Notes for My People

“A fascinating and forceful guide to stepping up and speaking out on the page.”
—Susan Shapiro, author of The Byline Bible: Get Published in 5 Weeks

“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