The Ethics of Interviewing in Creative Nonfiction: Impact of Interviewees’ Withdrawals on a Project’s Outcome

Interviewing has become a staple technique within the field of creative nonfiction. However, within the current discourse, little attention is paid to the ethical considerations of what authors should do when the interviewee decides to withdraw from the project. Having completed my practice-based PhD thesis, The Silent Voices of Russian Immigration (2024), and graduating from the University of Birmingham in July 2024, I encountered a legal dispute with a participant who subsequently requested to withdraw from the project entirely. Drawing on my personal experience, I discuss the importance of obtaining informed consent and examine several ethical and legal issues associated with conducting interviews. Additionally, I explore the ethical, legal, and creative consequences of participants’ withdrawal from research projects. The paper argues for clearer guidance integrating law and ethics to protect both parties involved in creative research. I conclude by reflecting on the outcome of my own case and the moral dilemmas I faced in response to the participant’s desire to withdraw from the study.