Do I Need a Sensitivity Reader?
Resisting Removal tells the story of the Sandy Lake Tragedy when 400 Ojibwe were killed because of the illegal removal efforts of the U.S. government. In the years that followed, the Ojibwe resisted removal and earned a new treaty that gave them permanent reservations on their homeland.
A few years ago, before publishing my novel Resisting Removal: The Sandy Lake Tragedy of 1850, I visited Dr. Anton Treuer, a professor in the Department of Languages and Indigenous Studies at Bemidji State University. Dr. Treuer, who is Ojibwe, is an accomplished scholar and author with a long record of publications, awards, and achievements. He is also the author of Ojibwe in Minnesota, the book that introduced me to the Sandy Lake Tragedy, an event that left four hundred Ojibwe dead in northern Minnesota because of the illegal removal and displacement efforts of U.S. government officials.
I did not go to Dr. Treuer with a precise goal in mind. I wasn’t sure if I was seeking permission, or validation, or help. I only knew two things: That, as a white man, I was hesitant to publish a book that focused so heavily on the experience of the Ojibwe people, and that I had (and have) a great deal of respect for Dr. Treuer. The visit was brief. Dr. Treuer welcomed me into his office and he treated me with openness and respect. He did not tell me what I could or could not write. Neither did he admonish me for subjecting him with the unnecessary, unfair obligation of being the arbiter of Ojibwe history. He wished me well on my creative endeavors and offered me a list of people who might be able to give me an honest and informed perspective of my work as it pertains to the portrayal of Ojibwe culture and history.
Though issues of misrepresentation and cultural appropriation have always existed, in recent years our society has become much more aware of the harm these issues cause. This awareness has led to a rise in the use of sensitivity readers as well as a debate over their necessity. A sensitivity reader is someone who reads a manuscript prior to its publication, and evaluates it for errors of representation in culture, identity, religion, gender, health or any other sociological characteristics. Generally, a sensitivity reader will share the same or similar characteristics of the characters in your manuscript and likely has a perspective that is separate, or broader, from the majority culture. With this perspective, a sensitivity reader is able point out problematic portrayals that could be offensive or are just wrong.
Unfortunately, sensitivity readers add another step to the already long, daunting, and sometimes expensive process of bringing a book through to publication. Some people argue that sensitivity readers add a level of censorship that inhibits artists in their creative process. They say that putting limits on expression leads to dull, narrowly focussed stories that end up lacking in diversity. Furthermore, they argue that historical works may end up giving an inaccurate representation of the past in order to avoid offending modern readers.
While these arguments may have some merit, they are an oversimplification of a real problem that deserves real attention. Stories are powerful, and they carry influence over our views of the past, of our society, and of ourselves. They need to be handled with care. And the authors who write them need to acknowledge their role in creating and perpetuating false narratives. With that said, however, no one expects an author to be perfect—to be knowledgeable of every detail and nuance within any certain culture group. Also, they’re not, or shouldn’t be, expected to completely avoid all views that are different from their own.
What I’m suggesting, rather, is that authors take their responsibility as storytellers seriously. I don’t believe their freedom to create should be limited. I do believe that authors should make their own informed, careful decisions about what is appropriate storytelling. First, they should be aware of their own socialized viewpoints and how those viewpoints influence their writing and their characters. Also, they need to be open and willing to learn and to listen. Authors should seek to learn more about the various cultural groups that are portrayed in their novels. They should join open forums and discussions about issues of appropriation and misrepresentation. They should participate in events and programs that are important to members of the groups they wish to write about. And finally, they should know where to draw the line. Through learning and discussion, an author should be able to get a real sense of the gravity of their narrative choices, and then be able to decide if they are the right person to tell that story.
Ideally, diverse narratives from diverse authors is the best way to end, or at least minimize, issues of appropriation and misrepresentation. Unfortunately, as a society we have a long way to go before the opportunity to tell stories becomes equal among those of the dominant and non-dominant culture. Until then, sensitivity readers are here to help, not hurt an author’s freedom to tell stories that share a multitude of perspectives. In the end, it’s all up to the author. The author must understand and accept the risks, responsibilities, and consequences of telling a story. To write, for instance, from the perspective of a culture other than your own, will make it more challenging to earn a publishing contract. A publisher must be discerning because they are the one, for the most part, who decides what stories enter the world. The author should be aware of this, not critical of it, when deciding what story to tell. The author must also be aware, and willing to accept, the criticism and backlash they may receive no matter how well they tell their story. No narrative will be perfect, and every reader will come to a story with their own preconceived notion of what’s appropriate and what’s not.
As a white author of four novels related to Native American history, I have made my own mistakes of misrepresentation. This doesn’t mean that you or I should stop engaging in the process of bettering ourselves and furthering each other. Stories need to be told. Whether or not you are the one to tell that story is up to you. A sensitivity reader can help, and I highly recommend their services. But this does not absolve you as an author of your responsibility to carefully consider your desire to tell a story, your ability to tell a story, and your willingness to learn and grow from the feedback and criticism that comes along with it.
Further Reading
What are Sensitivity Readers? (And Should Authors Use Them?) - https://blog.reedsy.com/sensitivity-readers/
On the Use of Sensitivity Readers in Publishing: A Writer, Reader, and Publisher Weigh In - https://lithub.com/on-the-use-of-sensitivity-readers-in-publishing/
Writing about Racism in the Past (Updated) - https://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2012/07/13/writing-about-racism-in-the-past/
Writing the Other: Learn to Write Characters Very Different From You Sensitively and Convincingly - https://writingtheother.com/resources/
Historical Fiction or Fictionalized History? Problems for Writers of Historical Novels for Young Adults - https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/fall98/brown.html
Writing With Color - https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com/
Colin Mustful is the founder and editor of History Through Fiction. He is the author of four historical novels about the settlement and Native history of the Upper Midwest. His books combine elements of fiction and nonfiction to tell compelling and educational stories. You can learn more about Colin and his work at https://www.colinmustful.com.
