Craft and Conscience

September 5, 2022
Das (Poignant Song: The Life and Music of Lakshmi Shankar), who teaches a course on writing about social issues, shows what great social justice writing looks like in this insightful how-to. While writing about social issues can take lots of forms, Das notes, it always requires thoughtful intention: “Ethics are not ancillary to craft but, in fact, critical to the craft of writing.” Das offers guiding questions (“What can you do to prepare your subjects for any positive and negative attention the piece might attract to them?”) and dives into aspects of craft that activists-cum-writers face, including analyzing one’s motivations for writing about a topic; distinguishing between reportage, personal narrative, and a hybrid approach; and conducting research (writers from outside a community should consider having a community member read a finished piece for accuracy, she suggests). Essays by James Baldwin, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Imani Perry, and Alice Wong, among others, show Das’s tips in action and speak to the power of writing about marginalized communities. Through concise language and well-chosen excerpts, Das delivers a one-of-a-kind writing guide that’s pitch-perfect for her niche. Activists ready to put pen to paper won’t want to miss this.

October 1, 2022

Activist and nonfiction writing instructor Das (Poignant Song) provides a writing guide that serves a dual purpose. First, she dispenses practical advice for writers, such as avoiding the pitfalls of clich� and self-promotion. Second, she compiles a large selection of essays by authors who write about social issues. The essays include works by Das and others, including George Orwell, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Imani Perry, and James Baldwin. The topics covered include violence against Black Africans, settler colonialism, and discrimination influenced by Indian caste at a large company in California. Writing about current social issues presents unique challenges for writers, such as avoiding cultural appropriation and examining one's motives and intentions. However, the craft requires some of the critical techniques used in other forms of writing, including balancing content with the interests of the reader, and the delicate walk between context and narrative. Das does not back down from current issues, including taking on the anti-vaccination movement. VERDICT This guide for the socially conscious writer will be helpful for those writing about marginalized communities. It's also a solid collection of American perspectives on social-sciences writing.--Jeffrey Meyer

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.