Sensitivity reading and editing
for fair representation across workplaces, subcultures and communities
What is it?
A sensitivity reading is a report on how the author deals with sensitive issues such as authenticity and diversity in gender identity, culture, ability and so on.
A sensitivity edit is a ‘hands-on’ service in which the editor identifies potential areas of contention within a text and offers recommendations and/or possible solutions.
Both services aim to enhance readability, access, comprehension and enjoyment.
I offer manuscript assessment and editorial services to assist authors and publishers who wish to ensure their content reflects their values, including authenticity, diversity, inclusion, representation and access.
My sensitivity readings and sensivity edits are suitable for manuscripts being developed for publication in book and eBook formats, as well as other text types, such as internal policy documents, venue signage, websites, smartphone apps and podcast scripts.
Read my blog post on why we should care about diversity and representation.
What does a sensitivity reading or edit cover?
Authenticity – e.g. whether a character, setting, plot or other information is likely to ‘ring true’ for readers who are depicted in the work
Sensitivity – how a text or publication deals with contentious issues relating to individuals or groups in workplaces, cultures, subcultures and communities
Diversity and representation – how a text represents individuals or groups from different ethnicities, cultural or linguistic communities; or represents diverse abilities or disabilities, including neurodivergence; or represents gender identities, sexualities and sexual orientations; or represents age, educational or professional background, thinking styles and beliefs (to name just a few)
Inclusion – how effectively (or not) the different elements of the work – e.g. the text, photos/images, design and presentation – contribute to the reader’s/user’s comprehension, experience and sense of belonging or welcome
Recommendations to enhance the comprehension, access and enjoyment of the intended readership; these may include consultation with specific groups/communities/individuals depicted within the text.
A sensitivity reading can be undertaken at the broader, higher level (e.g. the overall tone of a narrative), and recommendations offered for more specific readings, (a) by alpha-readers and beta-readers who have the relevant lived experience, (2) by community authorities or representatives, and (3) by experts in the field.
A sensitivity reading can also be specific to my own lived experience and professional expertise.
A sensitivity edit works directly on the manuscript or document, to highlight areas for reconsideration and/or to offer potential solutions.
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It depends on the scope and size of the job (e.g. word count). Contact me for an estimate of cost and time.
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I can offer an authenticity reading for topics, characters and descriptions relevant to my background as a South African born and bred, and my experience as an immigrant, woman of colour, activist, mother, stepmother, LGBTQI+ ally, traveller and consumer.
The fee will depend on the scope and size of the job (e.g. word count). Contact me for an estimate of costs and time.
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Probably not, but I may be able to steer you in the right direction – Contact me.
If you have written Indigenous character/s, communities, Countries etc. into your story and you need an Indigenous authority, such as an Elder or Traditional Custodian to read or approve your text, contact the relevant Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander authority or corporation. For guidance on style and language that is respectful of Indigenous Peoples, see the Australian Government Style Manual in the first instance.
My colleagues at yinfluence editorial offer culturally informed feedback for fiction, with a particular focus on supporting writers of colour, queer writers and neurodivergent writers.
