Are you a writer looking for a sensitivity reader or authenticity reader for cerebral palsy? As an adult with cerebral palsy, I have been providing authors with feedback on CP and disability representation for several years.
Sensitivity readers, also called authenticity readers, targeted beta readers, or diversity readers, offer a personal perspective on a manuscript that features a character that the author does not identify with. Examples of this include a white author writing characters of color, a non-adopted author writing about the adoption experience, or an able-bodied author writing about a physical disability.
I strongly support the #OwnVoices movement; I believe that we need diverse authors writing diverse characters. I believe in #DiverseBooks. I also believe that writers shouldn’t be scared to write outside of their own experiences and that marginalized populations deserve a broad representation. Sensitivity readers can help you not only make your representation more authentic, but also avoid inadvertently perpetuating outdated and harmful ideas of those not like you.
A word of caution: hiring a sensitivity reader does not then absolve you from responsibility or guarantee that all your readers will approve of your portrayal.
My cerebral palsy is called mild spastic diplegia. There is also moderate and profound, hemiplegia and quadriplegia. Everyone’s experience of cerebral palsy is different; even those of us with the same type do not walk exactly the same way, for example. My feedback on your character comes only from my single lived experience. Of course, I’ve talked to other CPers, and there are some near-universal moments in our lives. Still, if it’s feasible, receiving feedback from more than one reader is best.
Sensitivity reads should be done before the copyediting stage. You can expect to make several changes to scene and dialogue after feedback. Sensitivity reading is not editing; it is a written response to one character’s representation throughout the manuscript.
Starts at $250 for a novel-length manuscript.
Contact me at DanielleShantiSeybold@gmail.com
Client feedback:
Holly Edgar, Write Up!
“Danielle has worked with Write Up on several projects now, and I couldn’t recommend her highly enough. She is a thorough, conscientious, incisive, and insightful reviewer who is able to apply common sense and empathy to whatever text she is reading, as well as understanding the potential limitations of the intended market or the production stage. Danielle often goes above and beyond, suggesting ideas for new content and improvements. I’m looking forward to working with her again.”
FLY by Alison Hughes
“Danielle’s diversity read of my middle grade novel (which included a protagonist with cerebral palsy) was invaluable—positive, perceptive, thorough and prompt. She flagged areas needing work, explained why she thought they did and gave creative suggestions for improving them. She also commented on passages that she felt were really well done. She took the time to understand the project and approached it with sensitivity, openness and a keen editorial eye. I highly recommend Danielle for both sensitivity reads and editorial assistance. She was an absolute pleasure to work with.” –Alison Hughes, author of FLY, from Kids Can Press.
Check out Alison’s website here.
“Danielle, I was so, so excited to receive your feedback! Thank you *so much* for the thought and detail you put into this! I’m a *very* new writer, and have never worked with a sensitivity reader before. This has been a totally rewarding experience, and *way beyond* anything I expected. Thank you for a great experience! Thank you for helping me make this story stronger!”
–@RKingwrites
What Happened to Your Legs? 