Book News: Sensitivity Readers in Publishing
For this week’s contribution to the library school book news project being umbrella’d here under the Butterflies & Aliens Library, I wanted to share this CBC article exploring the rise of “sensitivity readers” in publishing. It relates to many of the topics that have come up in the course, including representation and diversity in publishing, the fine line between editing and self-censorship, and the much muddier line between censorship versus serving your audience… which may or may not be the same as catering to the market.
I do want to flag from the outset that the article does a bit of a disservice to the debate by conflating the process of reviewing manuscripts in the editing and pre-publication phase, versus the kinds of updating and retroactive editing that can happen long after a work has been published. The fact that the experts and techniques might be the same should not get confused with the context in which they are used.
That said, the article does raise both pros and cons that need to be taken into account no matter when something is read for sensitivity reasons.
I am glad that the article lead with a suggestion of what I think is the most important reason for having a sensitivity reader or readers in one’s authoring and publishing toolbox: that it’s not just simply representation that matters, but accurate and/or realistic representation. And representation that, if not intentionally positive, is at least not unintentionally negative or damaging.
It also does a decent job of exploring some of the nuance involved, pointing out especially that on the pre-publication side sensitivity readings can provide important insight, but can also potentially be overdone.
And while perhaps there are arguments for leaving published literature alone, Roald Dahl is certainly not the first author to have their work updated or adapted for different audiences. And for what it’s worth – and I can’t wait to see any sales statistics – as a result of this debate, readers will be getting possibly the best of both worlds: both the new updated edition and a “classic” edition, two options available for different reading needs and desires.
Meanwhile as a counterpoint, I’ll also share this article about the updating of Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever… updated decades after its initial publication, but also notably done by the author himself.
In the end, sensitivity readings are just another tool available for publishing. And as with any tool, when, how, and why you use it… and how well… will make all the difference. And the literal bottom line is sales, whether by providing a refreshed product that interests a changing marketplace or by creating interest in the old through controversy and renewed awareness.
Or best yet, having a work of literature that manages to stand the test of time.
All things to ponder next time you read something that just works for you.
Happy Reading!
– Winston
Works Cited
Gollom, M. (2023, March 5). Why 'sensitivity readers' are causing such a stir in the publishing world. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/sensitivity-readers-writers-roald-dahl-1.6768418
Katafias, F. (2015, August 13). The Updates to Richard Scarry’s Books You Probably Missed. Tinybeans. https://tinybeans.com/the-updates-to-richard-scarrys-books-you-probably-missed/
Shaffi, S. & Knight, L. (2023, February 24). Roald Dahl publisher announces unaltered 16-book ‘classics collection.’ The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/feb/24/roald-dahl-publisher-announces-unaltered-16-book-classics-collection
