Want an honest look into sensitivity reading and what one actually does?
Look no further.
If you've read my previous article “What are sensitivity readers and how to find a great one” you might have done some research of your own and discovered there are a many people offering their services and vast differences in how much they charge.
As with most things, you get what you pay for. If budget is important, then you might be tempted by sites that offer sensitivity reads of your full manuscript, for under £100/$100. You may have also been to websites that charge £/$0.01/word (£$800 for an 80k novel) and decided that is absolutely too much.
The truth is, anyone can be a sensitivity reader, and charge whatever they want. Readers on sites like Fiverr may seem inexpensive compared to writing websites that have their own lists, but without knowing much about the reader, how do you know you'll get your money's worth?
Look, I understand what it's like to be a writer, and how much money we often have to shell out before any books are even sold. When I came up with my pricing, I wanted to make sure it was affordable, but also, I wanted to be paid fairly for my time doing the job.
So I'm going to take you through my exact process as a sensitivity reader, so you know exactly what you get from me.
(Click here to go straight to my process)
I cannot speak for all sensitivity readers, but when I'm taken on board a project, my process is thorough, and is much more than me telling you what it is you're doing right and wrong.
First of all, I feel like 'Sensitivity Reader' doesn't quite sell what I do. The word 'sensitivity' instantly makes me think of things needing to be treated with kid gloves. It also makes me think of pain or of people who are considered “too emotional”.
This is why I feel that 'Authenticity Reader' is a much more accurate way to describe what I do.
Plus, there's lots of talk out there about sensitivity readers sanitising novels and making people feel bad for telling a story.
My reads are in no way an attempt to make sure your words won't trigger a reader.
My reads are there to help your words sound authentic.
People come to me to make sure their lgbtq+ characters (usually gay/queer or bi) come across as realistic, and don't lean into anything problematic for a queer audience, such as offensive cliches, tropes and stereotypes.
But what does it really mean to be realistic?
Everybody experiences life in a different way. There's no set way to be gay, bi, or trans etc. I could write something I have personally experienced and someone else would tell me that I made it up and it could never have happened.
So why even use a sensitivity/authenticity reader?
Because the way I do it, it's about helping a writer find the truth for their character, and making sure their characters behave in a way a queer person really would, as opposed to how a cishet person thinks a queer person would behave.
Many sensitivity readers say their service is not an alpha or beta read, but the way I personally approach it, my authenticity read is, to some degree, also an alpha/beta read.
This is what I mean by being wary of the difference in prices. Some readers will read the novel and simply point out things they feel isn't realistic based on their own experience. No more, no less.
My services go way beyond that. With my vast knowledge about writing lgbtq+ characters and stories, my feedback isn't just based on my own experience, its also based on my knowledge of the experiences of the wider community.
As I'm a writer myself, I don't just point out if something is inauthentic, because I understand that character and story need to be considered too. My read is to some degree and alpha/beta read too because I will look at queer character arcs to point out what may need to be looked at again in the next draft.
I can read roughly 250 words a minute. Which is about 15,000 words an hour. Which means an 80,000 word novel would take me about 5.5 hours to read. That's just reading. My authenticity read however is not a read for pleasure. It is critical reading. This is why my pricing include the time I spend just reading. I am not doing it to enjoy the story, I'm literally processing every word.
But my service isn't just reading. I also give notes on the manuscript itself, to point things out the writer. This means sometimes I need to go back and read sections again. Then I need to stop to consider my feedback. It might be something as simple as letting the writer know that I think this section is authentic and my reason behind that comment if needed. These kinds of comments (that I write as sticky notes within the manuscript) can be done quite quickly.
Other times I may need to point out that the section falls into a problematic trope, or that it doesn't quite feel like something a certain sexuality might do/say/experience, and my reasons behind it. These comments take far longer. I like to make sure I'm giving as much information as possible. It's no use telling someone something is wrong, without explaining how and why. I am thorough in my comments so the writer has everything they need to make their own informed decision.
Sometimes, and this is where it's more like an alpha/beta read, I point out if I think the section doesn't quite track with the character, and why. These kinds of notes, a lot of sensitivity readers don't provide. They will literally point out that it's authenticity only, and alpha/beta reads come as an additional expense.
But for me, the reason I set up Pride Reads was to help all writers, write better lgbtq+ characters and stories. So I went into authenticity reading with the same approach. I want to help writers have fully fleshed out, authentic queer characters. How could I do that without also looking at storyline, plot and character arc. Telling a story isn't just a character doing things, it's also about their journey, the narration, the genre and the reader's experience.
I make notes as I read the manuscript. I write these as sticky notes, so they're connected to paragraphs, or lines, or chapters. Sometimes I can't make a comment there and then because I need more information. So I often leave myself placeholder notes, to come back to when I've read the full manuscript. Sometimes, authenticity needs the full picture. So, as some sensitivity readers will read, make notes and be done, I read, make notes, and often come back to sections to add new thoughts.
On a recent authenticity read, I wrote 62 separate notes on the manuscript.
So what started as a mere 5.5 hour read, is now at least double that, as I take time to pause and consider. Like I said, I'm not just pointing out things I feel need to be edited, or cut, or need more research, I also point out the positives. We're all human, and nobody likes to just have negative stuff thrown at us. Besides, the positive comments can be very helpful to writers. If I point out something I think feels like they've given a lot of consideration to, and my reasons why, they've got that knowledge forever. On the next project, they've now got a new baseline of things they know.
I don't read the novel more than once, but I do re-read sections.
When I've finished the read, I will then go back over all my notes within the manuscript, and tidy them up. By that I mean I might delete comments if in a later chapter you've answered a question I had, or I might add extra details to my advice based on my knowledge of the whole story.
My job still isn't finished. Those notes on the manuscript are about each little moment.
I also prepare another document with my global notes. These go into detail about the bigger picture. LGBTQ+ characters as a whole, their arc, their place within the story, and any ideas I might have for the next draft. These ideas are often based on my lived experience, or wider lgbtq+ knowledge, and are there for consideration in the next draft, to dig deeper into the queer experience, or add nuance to specific queer moments.
The whole process takes roughly 3 weeks depending on the length of the manuscript and what other things I've got on. Obviously, I am not authenticity reading as a full time job. I am also a screenwriter, writing my first novel, doing script reading and feedback, and I have a day job too.
There you have it. That's my process as an authenticity reader.
This is why I charge £0.0035 per word, which may rise in the future.
As writers, we all know that feeling of thinking we should give our time, knowledge and creative energy for free, but easily 10+ hours go into an authenticity read, and then there's my knowledge and lived experience.
You'll get notes on the manuscript, and then a few pages of global notes. I can't be specific with how many notes or pages you'll get, it really depends on how many are needed.
I also want to remind you, that even after my notes and feedback, you can do what you want with them. Ignore it all if you so wish. Disagree with it too. Sometimes, I miss clarity in stories, because the writer has all the information in their head, but not on the page. In that instance I remind writers to look at what I've missed, and see how you can make sure another reader doesn't miss it. You might also (and I hope you do) love my notes, and want to implement them. I say go ahead. Any advice, tips, personal experience or ideas I give you are yours. You've paid for my service, so anything you use from my report, is included in that price. Don't worry about me finding your novel in the bookshop and coming at you saying that was my idea. I am NOT about that at all.
My service also comes with a round of questions afterwards. If my notes don't quite make sense, or you want extra clarity on something, or have specific questions about something I may or may not have brought up, the writer can ask those questions.
That's my process as an authenticity reader. I hope that gives you a greater insight into how it works, how I approach it, and why you'll find people offering a cheaper price than me.
If you want to use me as an authenticity reader, feel free to get in touch.
Happy writing.
Drew xx