The ethical implications of confessional writing: An analysis of real-world examples and the work of Rosalind Coward

This article analyses the ethical implications that come with writing in the confessional genre. Rosalind Coward, journalist and writer, discussed the moral issues of the confessional in her work, specifically in her 2013 book Speaking Personally: The Rise of Subjective and Confessional Journalism . Additionally, there have been several case studies in which journalists such as Coward have had issues when exploring personal experiences via a public lens. Using the essence of Coward’s research, alongside case studies drawn from recent examples where the use of confessional journalism has generated controversy, one is able to evaluate the interpersonal, legal and emotional challenges caused by confessional writing. It is also possible to posit the idea that personal writing does not conform to traditional journalistic ethics, and thus is in danger of being an unsustainable and unstable mode of journalistic writing.