Sensitivity readers are only controversial if you ignore the fact that in this diverse country, it is entirely possible to publish a book that has been selected, read, and edited by only white people— Brit Bennett (@britrbennett) December 27, 2017
This is why I've been saying for years that authors from the margins must be twice as good to get half as far. They have to write *in ways that White gatekeepers will understand.*— Ebony Elizabeth (@Ebonyteach) December 28, 2017
I have had EXACTLY this conversation with authors you'd recognize. https://t.co/FnnqAtQ01a
I've found many articles/posts on the need for sensitivity readers in publishing. A reason given for the need in most pieces is the lack of African American editors. Gender is also cited. As 1 who works in publishing I can say I've seen no shortage of women, but def a lack of AAs— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017
When I graduated college my plan was to become a book editor while working on the side as a book writer. I interviewed for many editorial jobs but wasn't offered a single one. I don't believe this is b/c I was terrible at interviewing.
My resume must have looked decent b/c I was called in to interview for most of the jobs I applied for. But for some reason I didn't "have what it takes" to receive a job offer. So I expanded my search net to jobs in other areas of book publishing.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017
Publishing seemed so glamorous. I wanted in somehow, some way, thru whichever door was opened. My main desire was to embark on road to becoming an editor, but as time passed, pressure mounted, & mostly what I wanted was a job offer of some kind. Ideally from a publisher or agent.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017
I vividly recall one interview for a job as a mfg. buyer that went particularly well. My confidence rose with each minute. But at the end the interviewer told me it seemed obvious I wanted to be an editor, and if they gave me the job I would prbly switch depts. 1st chance I got.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017
Eventually I did get a job in publishing. It was in manufacturing which means the job was to work with printers to provide what inventory said needed to be brought into stock. I was finally IN, but not as I had envisioned.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017
I was burnt out, happy to have a job, move out of parents' home, start grown-up life. I got to meet a bunch of editors. But I ceased trying to become one. I probably shouldn't have given up on original dream but that's how it went down. Besides, my TRUE DREAM was still to write.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017
The closest I've gotten to becoming an African American editor for a book publishing house was by making a main character in my latest novel MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE a book editor. I lived vicariously through Audrey. https://t.co/hwcoNKKYFA— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017
I haven't formed a strong opinion one way or another on the need for sensitivity readers, though in general my feeling is 'the more jobs available in or connected to book publishing, the better'.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017
Becoming an editor may have ended up being very frustrating to me. I want to create my own characters/stories/worlds - not help other people do it. Yes, it's hard to find black editors & lit agents. But it's also damn hard just to find readers. And still I strive...But again, there are a minuscule number of African American book editors and literary agents in the field. As a writer, I accept the fact that I'll mostly be submitting to white men/women. As a person, I did my best to increase the # of black editors/agents by 1. It wasn't to be.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017
The publisher knew who Yiannopoulos was when they gave him a $255,000 advance. The editor’s brutal comments are somewhat entertaining, but none of this should distract from the fact that they sought to make his bigotry both digestible and marketable. https://t.co/Ssg20zht0h— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) December 28, 2017
I tweeted earlier today on the topic of sensitivity readers. I suppose they'll catch some questionable content in manuscripts. But meanwhile book publishers also throw the bank at garbage like this periodically, "sensitivity" be damned. https://t.co/858gbdoIcl— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017
https://t.co/2ftuUhlAQF Joyce Carol Oates isn't a sensitivity reader fan. I hope this doesn't offend you. I remain unconcerned.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017
.@JoyceCarolOates I did start my own packaging company called @CakeLiterary. And @nytimes this is what happens when you reduce POCs as mere sensitivity readers in your article about writers. I get nonsense and harassment from entitled white folks. https://t.co/mKNAE7sgcg— Dhonielle Clayton (@brownbookworm) December 25, 2017
Of course, it's one thing to feel that the existence of sensitivity readers (which if nothing else, perhaps we can all agree is a rather terrible job title?) is an example of Political Correctness gone too far rather than seeing it as an unfortunate necessity in an excessively lily white industry. It's another to go as far as Tucker Carlson did. Not that his snide point is entirely without merit.Next tweet has links to sensitivity reader articles. Those who dislike concept feel it veers too close to a writer's greatest enemy - censorship. Those in favor feel literature has been whitewashed for too long, & while we can't change the past, we can surely edit what's to come.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017
"'Can we no longer read ‘Othello’ because Shakespeare wasn’t black?' the novelist Francine Prose wrote recently in an essay about sensitivity readers and censorship in The New York Review of Books."— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) December 27, 2017
Prose may not be aware, but the answer to that question will soon be "yes."
https://t.co/5ti8YR93Zq https://t.co/b45RmuuvlU My own opinion is that good writers have the empathy thing down so sensitivity readers aren't needed. Bad writers WILL screw up, but I won't avoid them b/c they're insensitive. I'll avoid b/c they're bad writers. Flawed foundation.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017
A sensitivity reader can only declare you've offended them personally. They may say "this is offensive to black people" but we didn't all vote on it. We're not a monolith & aren't offended by the same shit. e.g. Some don't like that I wrote "shit" while others could give a fuck.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017
What would sensitivity readers have advised Mark Twain about his top selling book? I think I can accurately guess based on this... A Line A Day: A kinder, gentler Huck Finn - SMH https://t.co/Ks2I0ey1sd— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017
I've written arguments for N-Word usage https://t.co/FA2VCwlOcV and against it https://t.co/kgKD1KTKkl so clearly my own sensitivity ebbs and flows depending on the circumstances...including whether we're talking about fiction mirroring reality or reality itself.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017
Back in 2007 I wrote about that time Hergé wrote "Tintin in the Congo" with less than stellar sensitivity. Borders (remember them?) handled the backlash in Solomon-like fashion. https://t.co/Z8la5tic2K— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017
Time changes what's considered offensive versus mainstream. What was once called outlandish is now deemed tame. Good writing doesn't look to society's current etiquette rule book for guidance. It comes from the heart & gut, not from what somebody else feels is appropriate to say.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017
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