Ethics for Writing Nonfiction
Writing nonfiction in and of itself demands a strong ethical commitment that what you are presenting to the reader is factual. Simply put, if you want to write nonfiction, you must hold yourself to the highest standard that will ensure the content of your work is true and accurate. Should this present a problem, abandon the project or transform it into a work of fiction.
Due Diligence
Due diligence is a term frequently employed by lawyers drafting contracts on behalf of clients interested in acquiring assets, property, or a business that signifies care will be taken to properly inspect and evaluate what is being purchased. To the party engaged in making the acquisition and to laypeople as well, due diligence implies that all reasonable steps are made to authenticate and substantiate that what is being represented is true.
The standard of due diligence applies to the writer of nonfiction. As the writer, you are assuring your material is true and accurate. As you have seen, you will base this representation on research, interviews, fact gathering, personal experience, your own knowledge, and memories. However, it is not enough that you can cite sources or interviewees or your memory to fulfill what is ethically required of you as a nonfiction writer. Rather, you must exercise due diligence to verify what you have relied upon in your work.
Some of the procedures you should consider when undertaking due diligence as a nonfiction writer are:
Investigate the credentials of your sources to make certain they are qualified and are who they say they are.
Obtain confirmation from unrelated sources to support what your primary sources provided.
When depending on your memory or personal experiences, secure independent corroboration.
If something does not seem correct, even though the source is trustworthy, satisfy whatever doubts you have about the veracity of the material.
Whenever possible, go the extra distance to confirm from secondary sources what you learned from your primary sources.
Try to avoid relying upon one eyewitness account or what one person remembers and secure confirmation from others.
