Have you heard about Unbound? They’re a rather ingenious new kind of publisher. They’ve already attracted the literary talents of Salena Godden, and are now jumping up and down in support of craftivism queen Sarah Corbett.
The way it works is: an author pitches an idea for a book, then you, the potential reader, can choose whether or not to make a donation towards the completion and publication of that book.
In return, you receive a beautiful e-book, paperback or hardback copy of the finished book, depending on how much you pledge. You also get access to ‘the author’s shed’, showcasing their progress and offering insights into the process of putting the book together.
Sarah’s book is How to be a craftivist: the art of gentle protest.
Intrigued? Sarah says, “If we want our world to be more beautiful, kind and fair, then shouldn’t some of our activism be beautiful, kind and fair?”
Sarah’s been running Craftivist Collective since 2009, tackling issues ranging from climate change to the businesses failing to pay employees a living wage.
“My approach to Craftivism is to tackle issues not with anger and shouting, but with gentle protest. Gentleness is not weak, it requires self-control in the face of anger, injustice and sadness. Gentle protest lets us have conversation instead of an argument, debate instead of shouting, and collaboration instead of opposition.”
Sarah vows that her book will get to the heart of Craftivism – the purpose, process and pitfalls. Areas it will cover include:
1. How to use the process of making to engage thoughtfully in the issues you care about.
2. How to see every detail of your creation as important: from the colour you use to the fonts, the size, the messaging….
3. How Craftivism can engage people on and offline around the world.
4. How Craftivism can create conversations and action.
“Gentleness, conversation and collaboration can make our world a better place, and the road there less angry, aggressive and divisive.”
Find out more and help Sarah on her way to making her book a reality at unbound.co.uk/books/craftivist.
