4-Week: The Heart of the Matter—Ethics in Creative Nonfiction

What is objectivity in both journalism and memoir, really? Who gets to write about sensitive topics? Can I use AI? Do I need my ex's consent before I write about him? When is it OK to go undercover? What if I get sued for writing that? Can I change someone's name? When am I permitted to reconstruct dialogue? We'll address these questions and more in this four-week ethics workshop led by two award-winning journalists. Topics include, among others, truth and memory in personal narrative; consent and privacy issues when writing about others; and power, perspective, and bias. Writers will engage in writing exercises and in-depth discussions about assigned readings and their own writing projects to confront the many ethical issues nonfiction writing presents.