Sensitivity Reading Services for Authors

Sensitivity reading is a review of your manuscript by a reader with lived experience of a culture, identity, condition or community that your book portrays, who flags stereotypes, errors and hurtful phrasing and explains why. Our sensitivity reading services match your book with suitable readers and give you a clear, respectful report that helps you write characters and settings with accuracy and care.

The aim is a better book, not a safer book. A sensitivity reader does not rewrite your story or decide what you may say. They give you informed feedback, and you decide what to change. This service is part of our book editing services and works well after developmental editing and before copy editing.

What our sensitivity reading service includes

• Reader matching. A reader chosen for lived experience that fits the portrayal in your book, such as a culture, faith, disability, health condition, sexuality or profession.
• Whole-manuscript review. A read of the full book or the relevant chapters, with attention to language, stereotypes, assumptions and missing context.
• Margin comments. Notes in the manuscript that point to the exact line and explain the concern in plain, constructive language.
• Summary report. A short report that groups the main themes, rates their weight and suggests ways to address them.
• Follow-up conversation. A chance to ask questions, so you understand the reasons behind each comment.

Who this service is for

• Authors writing characters whose background differs from their own
• Authors of memoir or non-fiction who describe a community or condition
• Children’s and young adult authors who want accuracy and care for young readers
• Publishers and small imprints checking a book before release

How this service works

1. Brief us. Tell us what the book portrays and which parts you are worried about, with any content notes.
2. Match a reader. We propose a reader with relevant lived experience and agree the scope and timeline.
3. Review the manuscript. The reader works through the book and returns comments and a report.
4. Revise with confidence. You review the feedback, ask questions and decide what to change.

What is a sensitivity reader?

A sensitivity reader is someone who reads a manuscript for how it treats a particular identity or experience, drawing on lived knowledge. They look for inaccuracy, stereotyping, loaded phrasing and details that ring false, and they also point out what works well. They are not an editor, a censor or an approving authority. They offer one informed perspective that helps you check your assumptions before the book reaches readers.

When should I hire one?

Hire a sensitivity reader once your story and structure are stable but before copy editing, so changes do not get lost in later passes. If a book is still changing, early feedback may be out of date by the next draft. For non-fiction and memoir, a review before final edits can also help with accuracy and tone. Allow time to digest the comments and revise, which often takes a couple of weeks.

Can one reader speak for a whole community?

No. No single reader speaks for everyone who shares an identity or experience, and people within a community often disagree. That is why we are open about the limits and recommend more than one reader for books with significant portrayals or several communities. Feedback is a perspective to weigh, not a verdict. You make the final call and you are free to disagree, though it helps to understand why a comment was raised.

What topics can a sensitivity reader cover?

• Race, ethnicity, culture and religion
• Disability, chronic illness and neurodiversity
• Mental health and recovery
• Gender identity and sexuality
• Class, immigration, profession and regional communities
• Historical depictions and period language

How do you protect your manuscript and the reader?

Your manuscript is confidential, and readers work under agreements that bind them to keep it private. We tell readers what to expect before they start, and content notes let them decline material that is too distressing. Readers are paid fairly for their time and expertise. We never pass your book to anyone outside the agreed team, and we agree how comments are used and credited, if at all, before work starts.

How long does sensitivity reading take and what does it cost?

Most reviews take two to four weeks, depending on length and the reader’s availability. We do not publish a price list, because cost depends on word count, the number of readers and how deep the review goes. Every project receives a free quote with a fixed price in writing before work starts. We can also combine the review with fiction editing or non-fiction editing.

What does a sensitivity report look like?

A typical report has two parts. The margin comments point to specific lines and explain the concern in a sentence or two, such as a phrase that echoes a stereotype or a detail that does not match lived experience. The summary groups the main themes, from small wording fixes to larger questions about a character’s arc, and suggests ways to respond. Good reports also note what the book does well, which tells you what to keep. You receive both files in a format your editor can work from.

Related services

• Book editing services
• Developmental editing
• Beta reading
• Fiction editing
• Non-fiction editing