What Is a Sensitivity Reader and Can I Become One?
By Guest | June 24, 2018 |
Please welcome Patrice Williams Marks to Writer Unboxed today! Patrice recently reached out to Writer Unboxed to tell us about her free 7-day course on becoming a Sensitivity Reader, and an idea was born; this seemed like a post-worthy topic to us. We’re thrilled Patrice agreed to be our guest today, to answer a few worthy questions:
What is a Sensitivity Reader? Can you be one? Should you utilize one? Will a Sensitivity Reader censor?
A little about Patrice, from her bio:
Patrice Williams Marks is a Sensitivity Reader and Course Creator, founder of a non-profit charity that works to diversify the newsroom. She is the founder of several film festivals with diverse entries from filmmakers and writers. She also has a background in public relations, marketing, and journalism with an emphasis on research.
Learn more about Patrice on her website, and by following her on Facebook and Twitter. And learn more about her course online HERE and through the Sensitivity Read Twitter account. Oh, and Patrice is offering a free webinar on June 28th. Learn more about that HERE.
Enjoy!
What Is a Sensitivity Reader and Can I Become One?
In 2016, Scholastic pulled the children’s book, A Birthday Cake For George Washington, after outrage from what some considered “whitewashing” of the history of slavery.
The book showed “happy slaves” making a cake for George Washington. To those of us with ancestors who lived through that period of time–my father’s grandmother was a freed slave–it was not only hurtful but insulting.
We know that Scholastic (and the authors of the book) had no intention of insulting or whitewashing slavery, but nevertheless, they did just that. How? By writing about a culture they knew little about, and filling in the holes with assumptions though their own limited lenses.
As writers, we all “fill in the holes.” I have. But it has always been after extensive research.
What could they have done differently?
Hired an African-American Sensitivity Reader during the first draft phase of the book.
What exactly is a Sensitivity Reader, and how could s/he have helped?
A Sensitivity Reader is someone who specializes in a specific niche (African-American, Muslim, Physically Challenged, LGBTQ, Little People, etc.) and is a part of the specific marginalized community that the author is writing about. The Sensitivity Reader thoroughly reads over the material for bias, stereotypes, offensiveness, lack of understanding, etc. and creates a report for the client outlining their thoughts, why they feel something may be a problem, and offering possible solutions.
Will a Sensitivity Reader censor the work?
The client makes the final decision whether to make the changes suggested, make only a few changes, or keep the project as is. Therefore, a Sensitivity Reader cannot absolve another author or publishing company of any future negative impacts from their project.
Does a project need more than one Sensitivity Reader?
Possibly. If you are writing about more than one marginalized group, and you are not part of those groups, then you would do well to hire Sensitivity Readers who specialize in each group.
How do you get started as a Sensitivity Reader?
If you’re an author, writer or avid reader, you may already have the right tools to get started. Which specific niche(s) would you be qualified for? Are you a member of the LGBTQ community? Are you Hispanic, Indian, African-American, Muslim, a Little Person, Asian, have experience with mental illness, etc.? Hone in on your niche(s) and be very specific about what types of projects you’re qualified to review. Then offer “free” Sensitivity Reads to fellow authors, friends of friends, or acquaintances. Once you’ve done a handful and you have happy, satisfied clients, ask them for testimonials. With testimonials in hand, position yourself online through your website and social media, as a Sensitivity Reader in your specific niche(s).
Are Sensitivity Readers paid?
Yes, they are. You could consider them “diversity editors.” Sensitivity Readers charge according to their experience and skill set. But please note: Sensitivity Readers are not editors in the normal sense. They do not proof, re-write, or find holes in stories. They simply read in order to determine if bias, stereotypes, racism or assumptions are present, and offer possible solutions.
I was on Reddit today on a gaming thread. There was an indie game creator looking for African-American gamers to beta test his project prior to release. He had several characters within the game who were black, and had them speaking in heavy slang. Thankfully, he understood that someone who was actually black and played games should take a peak before release.
Sensitivity Readers are needed in the book publishing industry, gaming, film, television, marketing and more. Reading can be both fulfilling and lucrative.
If you fall into a much-needed niche and would like to provide a valuable, in-demand service, consider becoming a Sensitivity Reader.
Do you have questions for Patrice? Thoughts to share? The floor is yours.
Many thanks to today’s guest.
You can read more WU guest posts by visiting this link.
I’m leery of the whole concept of “sensitivity readers.” This is second-guessing taken to a high art. Conduct due diligence, hire a competent editor, trust yourself, and be not afraid to offend. That’s the writer’s job, in a nutshell.
Hi Joe,
A competent editor does not check for what sensitivity readers find. All writers are free to create whatever they want. But those who write about worlds they know nothing about, would do well to connect with people who actually live in that world.
I appreciate knowing a service like this exists, Patrice, especially because I’m working on a novel with a very diverse cast of characters. Thanks for being here today!
Thanks, Therese.
As a woman of size (large), I have long noticed an extreme lack of sensitivity towards heavy people. Do you think there could be a niche for a sensitivity reader in that area?
It would be great if there were sensitivity readers for this, Christine. The trouble is getting writers to realize they might need it. Maybe you should offer your services.
Hi Christine, that is actually a niche for sensitivity readers. If you want to learn more, attend my free webinar this Thursday. (Link above).
Every writer has a perspective and view of the world…and should be able to write accordingly. That is what makes authors unique; the world diverse. But there is a push to narrate the world in a political correctness… and with that, are themselves, “whitewashing” the world. The book, A Birthday Cake for George, was written by a respected, non-white, journalist and illustrated by an African American Woman. The editor in charges of the whole book creation, Andrea Davis Pinkey, is an African American woman. If the argument above is about being sensitive to marginalized groups, who is best to have created a book about black slaves than African Americans? Yet, even they got it wrong, according to the political correctness police. Therefore, I find the sensitivity narrative disingenuous from the beginning. And the mere idea is a form, if not a direction towards censorship.
EM
I think you’re missing an important point here. An important point that has been white-washed over in all teaching of American history to children. George Washington is ingrained in all American children as the “Father of Our Country”. It is not until much later if at all that students learn he owned slaves. Does this story A Birhday Cake for George perpetuate this lie? If so it has no place in a classroom. These uncomfortable aspects of history have been glossed over too long. And the damage is that they give us a false sense of pride in a history that is not all glorious. It also gives writers who feel they don’t need sensitivity training because they write from a perspective built on “their truths”, when their truth is not fact.When in reality these “truths” founded on the omission of truth.
Sensitivity training is a chance to look at our beliefs objectively and sort the truth out from the lie.
Hi Bernadette, yes, you are correct. Even some minorities get it wrong, as not all minorities come from the same place. Minorities, like everyone else, live different lives; some more privileged than others. Or, perhaps, they didn’t bother to research the main character, the slave Hercules as they should have. But that does not negate the need for such a service.
Case in point
#WhenPPLdoItTheirWayANYway
https://jamaicans.com/caged-the-misrepresentation-of-jamaican-culture-and-dialect-in-american-media/
Thanks for this post, Patrice. My passions run to a diverse world on the page, and I need this kind of service often. I have an Anglo-British family in my upcoming book and asked two friends to read for me.
Yes, when I wrote a screenplay about a real-life British explorer and the woman he saved from a slave block (she was Hungarian), I not only did tons of research, I read original manuscripts written by the actual people at the Royal Geographical Society and had the descendants of the family read the script to make sure I got it right. That is sensitivity reading in a nutshell.
I volunteer in our local public library and often see children’s books that contain glaring errors in basic grammar and usage. The publishers of children’s books need niche sensitivity readers to catch such errors before the children who read them become tone-deaf. Isn’t that an editor’s job, you ask? Excellent question!
EM
I think you’re missing an important point here. An important point that has been white-washed over in all teaching of American history to children. George Washington is ingrained in all American children as the “Father of Our Country”. It is not until much later if at all that students learn he owned slaves. Does this story A Birhday Cake for George perpetuate this lie? If so it has no place in a classroom. These uncomfortable aspects of history have been glossed over too long. And the damage is that they give us a false sense of pride in a history that is not all glorious. It also gives us writers who may feel they don’t need sensitivity training because they write from a perspective built on “their truths” which is founded on these lies and therefore is not factual at all.
Sensitivity training is a chance to look at our beliefs objectively and sort the truth out from the lie.
Why bring Obama into this and insult him? Let’s have a civil conversation.
I agree with the concept but I think the volume is turned up a little too high on the idea when it becomes a service.
When an author is choosing beta readers for their manuscript, that group of readers should be made up of the demographic they portray in their book and/or the demographic they are targeting with their book. I would not call those people “sensitivity readers,” but to me, the process of finding qualified beta readers involves fact-checking as well. So overall I don’t see it as censorship, I see it as being a responsible author.
In the same way we would travel to a location we want to write about, or do a little research to get the science right in a science fiction novel, or talk to an actual investigator to get police procedures right in a crime thriller, we ought to get a pulse on our characters from people right out of the communities we portray. If an author is personally connected to the cultures, the regions, the people, the [insert whatever you want] they portray then they may not need a “sensitivity reader” at all. Authors should know their limits.
I think what is throwing people off is the word “sensitivity.” When you reframe it as finding qualified beta readers, the concept makes a whole lot of sense.
When an author seeks to fact-check their material, to me, that *is* showing sensitivity. They are sensitive to the limitations of their experiences and seek to fill in the gaps with someone else’s experience and knowledge.
It is a form of fact-checking. Some even call it diversity editing.
I have a fellow writer who has agreed to give me feedback on my lesbian character. My character isn’t sexually active in the novel, but since I’m not lesbian, I’m afraid I’m missing nuances in my character’s actions that will embarrass me when my lesbian audience reads my novel. I will also have a florist shop owner and a state counselor read my manuscript to make sure my content is current and correct with regards to those aspects of the novel.
I see sensitivity readers as not so much editors, but as a source of research to make sure I don’t make a faux pas. Even a small one would make a new novelist a laughing stock.
Yes, there are quite a few LGBTQ sensitivity readers available for this. Glad you found someone to help.
Thank God I got to read books before the advent of sensitivity readers. Mark Twain, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Flannery O’Connor, Salman Rushdie, Rudyard Kipling, Charles Dickens, and so many would be silenced today.
I was very sorry to see the George Washington book recalled. Why should slaves be only shown to be miserable? Slavery was an evil institution, but even evil cannot wipe out the grace given to those slaves of inner joy and hope for a better future. It’s like saying that all untouchables in India should only be portrayed a certain way, that there should be no happy ones because of the horrible caste system.
I’ve read books with stereotypical characters and those who are drawn with great skill. A writer should do due diligence in research when writing. There is no fiction without facts. And it’s good to have beta-readers who will point out mistakes. But hiring sensitivity readers? No.
We writers bring our unique gifts and stories to the world. We have to trust our voice and vision.
You had me until the name-calling, with the whole snowflake thing. As an oft-named Snowflake Libtard, I work tirelessly for inclusivity and sensitivity. I believe that sensitivity readers can be like any other tool that a writer uses. There may be some pieces of work that call for it and some writers who would feel their work speaks more clearly after a sensitivity reader peruses it. However, I don’t think a sensitivity reader would have helped the “whitewashed” George Washington book. These writers and illustrators were coming from their own truth. Perhaps the discussion after publication and placement of the book shouldn’t be how “wrong” these folk were. Isn’t that just more white people “knowing” what’s better for black people than black people do? If I were a black person, I would be AWFULLY tired of that. Perhaps the discussion can be that this is one of many different ways our history is being interpreted and that interpretation changes every time we — as a civilization — become more enlightened. Enlightenment including, perhaps, the ceasing of the whole snowflake thing.
I am conducting an ENCORE webinar for those interested. July 7 at 11a.
Register here:
https://events.genndi.com/register/818182175026319566/f65455ff94
Great post, Patrice! Just one note — you used the term “s/he” in the post, which feels a little odd considering we’re highlighting LGBT+ individuals as one of the possible members of a group of sensitivity readers. The term “they” as a singular is much more fitting in that context.