How Do I Become a Sensitivity Reader?

You’ve heard a little something about Sensitivity Reading, and you’ve asked yourself, “Just how do I become a Sensitivity Reader?”

Good question.

There is a growing need for Sensitivity Readers as authors, publishers, gaming companies, marketing agencies include people of color and/or marginalized individuals in their projects and want to make sure they are not misrepresenting a group or race, unintentionally.

Definition of a Sensitivity Reader, according to Writers In the Margins: A sensitivity reader reads through a manuscript for issues of representation and for instances of bias on the page.

Sensitivity Readers have the following characteristics:

1. They want to make a difference in this world: They’ve seen books, commercials, films, tweets, or the like that are disrespectful to groups of people and are surprised that no one else noticed. They want to genuinely help people who seek out their advice. They believe that they can make a difference.
2. They love to read: They are avid readers and may even belong to a book club. They look forward to the next adventure or romance that unfolds within the pages of the new book they ordered from Amazon. They spend time at the library checking out new books, finding a cozy nook to read a book there.
3. Belong to a marginalized group: They have to have a special niche that they have experience with and will focus on. (A few marginalized groups include: African-Americans, Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans, Jewish, Muslim, Middle Eastern, the disabled, the mentally ill, foster parents, foster children, interracial relationships, LGBTQ, the obese, plus-size, lived in poor communities, etc.)
4. Want to work from home: They may have a full time job outside the home, but want to subsidize their income. They may be a stay-at-home mom or dad looking to start a business with very little money, make their own hours and create a sizable first or second income.
5. Have personal experience to draw upon: They have accessed their skills and know they have something special to offer. They have personally experienced racism, bias, or the like, and will use those experiences to help others in their writing.
6. They understand that they are not censoring anything: That people come to them willingly and seek their advice as someone with knowledge and experience. They know that they only give advice from personal experience, and that it is up to the content creator whether they make changes to their project or not. They also understand that they are just another optional tool in the writer’s belt.

So the job of a Sensitivity Reader is to only accept projects that fall within their niche of experience, read through the manuscript, note instances they think need to be addressed, and offer solutions and other resources.

If you’ve read through all six points and have nodded your head yes, then you could be a Sensitivity Reader.

Patrice Williams Marks is an author, Sensitivity Reader, founder of courses that teach Sensitivity Reading, founder of a non-profit charity, 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.