The Authors Guild just issued a powerful statement urging authors to remember their 'important role' in 'not normal' times

Authors Guild vows to remain vigilant in these not normal times.

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The nonpartisan Authors Guild issued a statement demanding fiction and nonfiction writers alike "maintain vigilance in these 'not normal' times," Publishers Weekly reported Monday:

There are times in a democracy when writers have a particularly important role to play, and this is one. Given the contested and confusing public discourse that surrounds us, we need more than ever the thoughtful, long-form writing that fiction and nonfiction authors alike provide. Writers help us better understand our world, both present and past, by shining a light on seen and unseen truths. The recent appearance on bestseller lists of dystopian literature such as 1984, Brave New World, It Can't Happen Here, and The Handmaid's Tale reminds us that the novelists, poets, and critics who give imaginative shape to our experience are indispensable in our current political climate. A free society treasures its writers for this important role. [AuthorsGuild.org]

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.