Consent, Accuracy, Care
Writing Our Neighbors
A memoir of a building is a memoir of other people. These principles govern everything we write about residents, staff, and neighbors, past and present.
Six Principles
- Consent first. No living resident is named, quoted, or recognizably described in anything shared beyond our classroom without their written permission. Use the Interview Consent & Release Form.
- Their words, their approval. Every person interviewed reads or hears the finished piece before anyone else and may ask for changes.
- The right to withdraw. Anyone may withdraw their story, or a story about them, at any time before the anthology is shared.
- Change names when asked. Pseudonyms and altered identifying details are welcome; composite characters must be disclosed in a note.
- Accuracy is kindness. Check names, dates, apartment details, and quotations. When sources disagree, say so.
- Handle the past with care. Former residents who have died still have families. Private matters — health, finances, legal troubles, relationships — stay out of print unless the family has agreed or the facts are already a matter of careful public record.
Staff and Building Operations
The people who work at 2601 are neighbors too. Write about them with the same consent and respect. Please do not coordinate course interviews through the front desk; contact people directly or ask me to help.
Practical Safeguards
- Remove apartment numbers, phone numbers, and schedules from anything shared.
- Keep interview notes and recordings private and delete recordings once the speaker has approved the text.
- When in doubt, leave it out — or ask.