Developing Diverse Content: What Are Sensitivity Readers?
Sensitivity readers are a type of beta reader who specialize in certain ethnic, cultural, or social studies or topics and, in reading manuscripts, they are skilled at pinpointing misrepresentation, contextual or historical inaccuracies, and images/illustrations and writing that perpetuate harmful stereotyping and marginalization. While it is absolutely beneficial and should be preferred, sensitivity readers aren’t simply members of the underrepresented or marginalized group about which they are experts and read for.
A responsible sensitivity reader will know that their lived experience as a person from an underrepresented group; their education with concentrations in certain social or cultural/ethnic concentrations; or any special certifications in diversity topics in addition to their good working knowledge of literature play a big part in their being able to read well for sensitivity issues.
When asked about their experience or qualifications to perform sensitivity reads, they will be able to supply a response that lists a combination of two or three of the items listed above as well as the genres and categories they have experience reading. They will be careful not to read past their experience and may offer to refer their client to someone who can read better for certain groups, topics, or genres if they cannot.
Often sensitivity readers are considered critical in matters where an author is writing characters or on topics about a racial or ethnic group different from their own, however, sensitivity reading goes beyond ethnicity and race and into sexuality, religion, physical disability, and mental health or cognitive development issues.
Though using a sensitivity reader can be seen as controversial by some, raising questions about why one would even attempt to write outside their own lived experience, utilizing these specialized readers have helped to ensure fairer representation in literary works and minimize unintentional bias that may cause harm or embarrassment. Overall, their necessary feedback improves the quality, depth, and richness of an author’s work as they share stories, insights, and commentary about the society and culture in which they live.
Learn more:
What Are Sensitivity Readers? (and Should Authors Use Them?)
All You Need to Know About Sensitivity Reads
Overcoming Bias: Authors and Editors Discuss Sensitivity Readers
Do You Need a Sensitivity Reader?
Embolden Media Group provides content development consulting services to publishers and related agencies that seek to amplify voices of color but lack the ethnically reflective staff to effectively accomplish this. Our services in this area include:
Consulting with publishers and/or their editorial teams as they develop and refine a book’s content from acquisitions to content editing to proofreading
Preparing book proposals and sample writing for literary agencies who represent authors of color but need help refining their messages as they seek publication
Editing and sensitivity reading prepublished manuscripts that feature topics or characters that range the African diaspora and within specific genres, topics, and categories