Blogger: Rachelle Gardner
Sensitivity readers have been on our radar for the last few years, and in some circles they’ve even become controversial. Here’s a brief overview of what sensitivity readers do so that you can decide whether to consider incorporating them into your process.
What do sensitivity readers do?
They typically read unpublished manuscripts early in the editing process, giving feedback on sensitive cultural issues, accurate racial portrayals, and concerns about bias or stereotypes represented in the book.
Why has this become a thing?
Over the last several years, many people have (rightly) been pushing for more diversity in publishing, more books published by and about people of color, more explorations of cultures outside of the dominant Western “white” narrative, and more diverse characters in novels. This has led many authors to begin writing about characters and situations that are not only more diverse but well outside that author’s own realm of experience. When you are writing about something that you don’t deeply understand, it’s likely you’ll unknowingly rely on stereotypes or false narratives, or simply fail to accurately portray a certain kind of character or cultural reality. By hiring sensitivity readers, you can receive feedback and fix any issues before the book goes to publication.
Why is it controversial?
Personally, I don’t find it controversial. I think it’s a smart thing to do, especially for white authors who are including people of color as characters in their story. However, the use of sensitivity readers has led to concerns about censorship in some circles, and other find their use to be overly “politically correct.” They feel the author has the right to convey their story in a way that reflects their own knowledge and experience of the world.
I think it’s incumbent upon all of us to keep increasing our understanding of the world, especially of those from different backgrounds or cultures than our own. I think using a sensitivity reader can help an author not only learn how to better portray the people and environments about whom they write, but also avoid making an ignorant mistake that can have negative and painful consequences when readers and critics start posting reviews.
How do you find sensitivity readers?
The best way, right now, is to ask around among your writing community. Many authors, editors, and agents will be able to get you some names.
Working with sensitivity readers.
It’s usually sufficient to have 2 or 3 readers on a project; that way, you’ll get varying perspectives and you’ll also know if something in your manuscript is so glaring that all of your readers noted it.
The starting rate for a reader is about $250-$300, but more experienced readers and longer books will be more expensive.
If you’re giving your readers the whole manuscript to read at once, which is the most common way to do it, you’ll want to give them enough time, usually about a month. Some readers can do it in two weeks, other may need six weeks. If you’d like to do it another way, such as give your readers a few chapters at a time as you write them, you’ll need to work it out with them individually.
The most important part about working with sensitivity readers, of course, is being able to hear their feedback and revise accordingly. You may find this an easy and fun process as you increase your own understanding of another race or culture; or you may find the feedback goes against the story you’d envisioned or the character’s personality or arc that you’d planned. Be ready for this, and keep your mind as open as possible and your defenses low, so that this process can work for you.
So… do you need sensitivity readers?
If you’re writing about a character or setting that is foreign to you, and you feel it runs the risk of being offensive if you got any details wrong, then definitely consider it. I’ve had a couple of fiction authors use them and I thought it was a very good decision. If your book is under contract, talk with your agent & publisher, because the publisher may be willing to absorb the cost.
Have you used sensitivity readers? What do you think of this new practice?
Well, I write that which I write;
a Neanderthal, I don’t pretend
to have seen the PC light,
and I do not care whom I offend.
I’ve seen the world’s supply of culture,
and it impresses not at all,
nor does, indeed, the sensitive vulture
perched upon my writing wall.
We see the world through stereotype,
and, you know, they do too.
In spite of all the modern hype
the shibboleths can still be true.
We can still be humble, kind and fair
without a lot of heated air.
Time to eat some crow, and admit that I can be a gold-plated idiot at times.
The recent shooting at NAS Pensacola, perpetrated by a Saudi flight student, may have had a contributory cause in that the man’s instructor nicknamed him “Porn ‘Stache”, based on the thought that adult film actors have the kind of moustache the Saudi wore. And the instructor applied this nickname in front of the class the Saudi was taking.
This is truly appalling; on so many levels.
1) Islam does not, to put it mildly, condone pornography in any way. The punishment for possession can be draconian.
2) Facial hair is extremely common in the Arab world, for both cultural and religious reasons.
3) It was a public humiliation, something really bad in Saudi culture.
4) It is a deameaning nickname for anyone. Pin it on me, and one had better have a good oral surgeon on speed-dial.
Obviously, this doesn’t justify the shooting in any way, but even a stupidly unwitting (or worse, deliberate) put-down that calls faith and society into ridicule can have dreadful consequences.
I therefore stand massively corrected, and ask the pardon of all who read my first comment.
As Liam Neeson (playing Quai-gon Jinn in ‘Star Wars – The Phantom Menace’) famously said, “The ability to speak is not a necessary indicator of intelligence.”
I seem to have made my mark by expanding that to include the ability to write.
I have not, but as a “retired” military wife, I would appreciate if writers include military folks and family members on the list. They get “us” wrong so often, it’s staggering.
Agreed, Michelle. Great point.
I think this is a really encouraging trend – as is the one toward more diversity in Christian fiction (and authors). I haven’t used sensitivity readers by that title, but I guess I have in practice, as for my novels centered around Navajo characters, some dear friends where the husband is Navajo and the wife Dutch have both helped me research and develop the stories and read my manuscripts. And for my most recent novel set during the Civil War, one of my critique partners is African American and so able to give me input on my AA characters and research. The input and wisdom of these friends is truly invaluable.
We can’t know what we don’t know, they say. What we might consider harmless can often be more hurtful than we can imagine. Thanks for the insights, Kiersti.
Very insightful information, Rachelle. Thank you. I’ve considered this idea before but didn’t know it was truly a professional service. All of my novels take place at least in part in another country other than the US so presenting those countries appropriately and fairly is foremost on my mind.
It’s a great idea in theory, but in practice, how do you know you’re getting a person who is neither overly sensitive about things that wouldn’t offend most in the group they’re supposed to represent nor too insensitive about things that don’t offend them but which might be offensive to the most sensitive members of that group, even if not to most? What even qualifies a person to be a sensitivity reader to start with?
I write about a culture of 1900 years ago with very different sensibilities and standards from the people of today, so I won’t be using a contemporary sensibility reader. It would warp the stories away from historical accuracy. That could be a problem even for stories as recent as the 1800s and early 1900s. But if I were writing contemporary novels, one might be useful.
I guess I see it as making sure one isn’t placing Los Angeles in Arizona, or having a character bitten by a snake that doesn’t live in that area. It’s fact-checking, and I have absolutely no problem with that. It certainly doesn’t mean that other characters can’t be ignorant or misinformed, or even outright bigots. It just means that the story won’t be.
This is fascinating, Rachelle. Thank you for sharing and for including the typical fee. My mother is Hispanic and my father white. I chatted with a young pastor whose mother is Hispanic and his father black. When I told him of my grandparents’ decision not to teach their children much Spanish in order that they might succeed more easily in U.S. public schools, he looked aghast and said that’s really looked down upon now. I wouldn’t have known that. So even a culture in which I partly grew up has changed. I would avoid a reader steeped in critical race theory, but I have many friends of different races who aren’t involved with that, so that’s not a problem.
I agree. Any time an author is writing outside their own experience, it’s worth getting a sensitivity reader or beta reader with knowledge of that area. That includes authors writing books set in another country (e.g. England or Australia) even where you think the cultures are similar.
I like this idea. I grew up reading ‘typically white’ books without noticing racial stereotypes. When I married someone born and raised in Latin America I became intimately acquainted with another culture, and as a consequence, started to notice (and be irritated by) Latino stereotyping in books. Do people from Peru or Chile love tacos as much as Mexicans, or might each country in Latin American have a unique cultural heritage when it comes to cuisine? Do all Latinos throw the word “hermano” (brother) around in an overly familiar way, or are there unique values and circumstances that might provoke the use of this word? It’s not enough to make a character feel “Spanish” by sprinkling in some stereotyped vocabulary, cuisine, or music. Finding a sensitivity reader who can give simple, informed feedback on these things could make the difference between flat characters and well developed, believable ones.
I used a sensitivity reader for a minor secondary character in my book. I have an indigenous character as a love interest for my female protagonist. I did lots of research but I wanted to ensure that I hadn’t unintentionally written a caricature or described a ceremony erroneously. My sensitivity reader was very helpful with her comments and respectful and also pointed me to some resources. I also met with Elders to talk about the experience of Indigenous men in the 1960’s in Toronto which is the setting. I feel much more comfortable with my book and it was a positive experience.