ANFASA, the Academic and Non-fiction Authors’ Association of South Africa, brought together a panel of writers to discuss the state of writing, and authors’ rights, in South Africa. Chaired by Monica Seeber, the conversationalists are Lisa Combrinck, Sindiwe Magona, Lebo Mashile and Andries Oliphant. Monica sums up with the need she sees to ‘conscientize’ writers, that is, to make them aware of the importance of what they do, to encourage them to see themselves as professionals, with legal rights, including the right to get paid, and to take up their valuable place in society with confidence.