Ethical action – and the development of ethical action – is one of the most important obligations of a human being. Ethics make the world work. Ethics make relationships work. Ethics apply to everything we do and everything around us. And yet, we don’t talk about ethics much. We should. As a creative person – as any kind of person – ethics should be a primary consideration in our development and behaviour. Writers in particular often have voices that carry; we should think about what this means and how to be responsible about it. So, one aspect of skill development for writers must involve ethics. In the section that follows, I’ve provided my own code of ethics. Take a look, see what interests (or challenges) you, and ask yourself what you would write that would represent your own ethical framework. There are no universal answers to the questions of ethics. Everyone has a unique perspective. But you should, at least, have a perspective.
Ethical Guidelines for Ross Laird
I remind myself to honor the creative spirit in my own life and in the lives of others. I acknowledge the fragility and resilience of that spirit, and I seek to increase its presence in everything I do. I recognize that my creative work exists within an interconnected web of relationships. My own creative process is one aspect of a much larger cultural, social, familial and interpersonal network in which numerous divergent values must be honored. The quality and impact of my writing depends on my ability to navigate this network with honesty and clarity.
A central obligation of my creativity involves my willingness to explore and refine the ethical dimensions of my work, to challenge my assumptions and biases, to expand my awareness so that it includes many other features of my internal and external world. The essence of my responsibility, therefore, is to be aware.
I recognize that all rights are accompanied by matching obligations. In the context of creative writing, this means that I amplify my ethical awareness as I increase my expressiveness. When I seek readership, I make an equivalent challenge to enhancing my own integrity. As I achieve greater exposure, my ethical responsibility grows.
I try to balance obligations to myself, to the work, and to society. I accept the responsibility to be aware of the consequences of my work and to consider its impact. Whenever possible, I honor my own creative spirit while minimizing harm to others. When obligations to myself and to the work conflict with my obligation to minimize harm to others, I seek appropriate feedback from colleagues and peers.
I recognize that I am accountable for my written words in the same way that I am accountable for my speech. Therefore, I seek to be fair, honest, trustworthy and sensitive to the ethical dimensions in my writing. I recognize that writing has power, for good and for ill, and I choose to exert that power toward the common good — as I understand it through conscious engagement with myself and others.
I respect the dignity and rights of others: characters, readers, subjects, and other interested parties. Whenever possible, I acquire informed consent from those who may be affected by my work.
I recognize that creative writing, like every profession or vocation, is founded on core competencies. Therefore, I continue my professional development and consistently strive to improve the quality of my work. I pay particular attention to the feedback I receive from others, and I balance this with my own perspectives and values. I explore new legal and ethical considerations as they arise, and I incorporate them into my ethical framework.
I believe that the foundation of creativity is a joyful engagement with mystery. My ethical obligations include a sensitivity to that mystery, a nurturing of it, a resistance to its ultimate resolution. I remember that the ethics of a creative artist are the means by which mystery is ushered into the world.