Sell Sensitivity Reads From Your Bio Link

You sell a sensitivity read online by listing it as a priced custom request: the writer attaches their manuscript or excerpt, states the identity or experience they want reviewed, and you return written notes on representation and portrayal within a set turnaround. This keeps intake, payment, and delivery in one link instead of an email chain or reading fee. Custom Work lets you offer clearly scoped commissions and services: you set the price, the scope and the delivery time, and followers submit a brief and pay before you start.

Share one link in your bio instead of asking for payment in every DM: writers pay upfront, and you deliver the notes later. Writers can pay by card without creating an account. No monthly fee, you only pay a small platform fee when you get paid. 8% platform fee when a follower pays for work, 5% platform fee on tips and goals. Card processing is separate. Creator payouts are supported in 41 countries (pricing).

A sensitivity read is editorial feedback through one specific lens: how a manuscript portrays an identity, culture, disability, or lived experience. It is not the same job as a developmental edit or a general manuscript critique, which look at structure, pacing, and craft.

"Sensitivity readers review manuscripts looking for statements, portrayals, or perspectives that might offend readers. Sensitivity reads are generally performed by members of communities other than the author's own so that the reader can provide helpful perspectives on language, characterization, and other aspects of the writing." — Editorial Freelancers Association, Editorial Service Definitions

Because the writer needs to attach a manuscript or excerpt, sell the read through Custom Work. Paid Questions are one typed question and one written reply (how it works).

What counts as a sensitivity read versus a developmental edit?

A sensitivity read checks whether a manuscript's portrayal of a specific identity, culture, disability, or lived experience feels accurate and avoids harmful tropes. A developmental edit checks the book's structure, pacing, scenes, and craft. Since the Editorial Freelancers Association lists them as separate editorial services at different rates, make them separate listings instead of trying to squeeze both into one lower-priced order.

The Editorial Freelancers Association's rate chart puts a sensitivity read at 1.2¢–1.5¢ per word and a fiction developmental edit at 3.0¢–3.5¢ per word — roughly double — which is a practical reason to quote them separately (EFA rate chart).

Writers may hope one reader can do everything in one pass. Say plainly that a sensitivity read is not proofreading grammar or rebuilding the plot. It is closer to a targeted consultancy: one reader, one stated lens, and one set of notes the author can use while revising.

"Sensitivity readers exist as a consultancy resource to offer an authentic perspective regarding how marginalization affects characters, settings, and worldbuilding, and to provide feedback that an author can accept, reject, or question." — Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, "What Is Sensitivity Reading?"

If a writer wants both a sensitivity read and a full developmental pass, make two offers or send them to a broader editing page, such as how much to charge for a manuscript critique.

How much does a sensitivity read typically cost?

A sensitivity read typically runs 1.2¢–1.5¢ per word with a median project fee of $300, according to the Editorial Freelancers Association's published rate chart. Use that as a starting point, then set your own price based on the manuscript length, genre, your specific lens, and a delivery time you can actually meet.

The Editorial Freelancers Association's rate chart reports a median per-word rate of 1.2¢–1.5¢ for a sensitivity read, with a reported median project fee of $300 and a mean of $580; a combined sensitivity-and-authenticity read runs 1.5¢–1.8¢ per word with a $600 median project fee (EFA rate chart).

The Editorial Freelancers Association's rate chart also lists a working pace of 20–30 manuscript pages per hour for a sensitivity read, against 5.5–10 pages per hour for a fiction developmental edit (EFA rate chart). That helps you turn a per-word price into a delivery time you can keep without rushing the work.

Rates outside the US may look lower in nominal terms. Writing for the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, authenticity reader Crystal Shelley reports seeing sensitivity-reading fees ranging from £0.004 to £0.015 per word and states that there are no set prices for the service (CIEP, "Authenticity reading. Part 2").

Treat every figure here as a market reference point, not a promise that writers will pay that amount. Your price still depends on your background, the manuscript, and demand for your specific perspective. On Brillay, you choose the price and delivery time for the listing instead of accepting a marketplace-assigned rate.

What should a sensitivity-read listing say before someone pays?

A good sensitivity-read listing tells the writer exactly what they are buying before they send a file: the lens you read for, the document or word limit, the notes they will receive, and when you will deliver them. The out-of-scope line matters too, because it stops a focused read from turning into a full developmental edit after payment.

Spell out, in the listing itself:

• Your lens: the specific identity, culture, disability, or experience you're qualified to speak to — not "sensitivity reading in general."
• Document limit: for example, up to 90,000 words, or a defined excerpt/chapter count.
• Deliverable: margin comments, a summary memo, or both — state which.
• What's out of scope: line edits, plot feedback, or proofreading, unless you're bundling them explicitly.
• Delivery time: choose a date or number of days you can reliably meet. Custom Work delivery time can be set from 1 hour to 5 days.
• One delivery: state that the listed price covers one set of notes. Custom Work covers one delivery, so a second pass should be a new order.

Published descriptions of the job usually come down to two deliverables: notes in the manuscript and a separate report. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association describes taking notes in Track Changes or PDF comments and delivering a report tied to a page number or reference (SFWA), and the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading describes comments in the manuscript plus a written report summarising feedback (CIEP).

How to Write a Custom Request Offer walks through scoping a listing so a request cannot quietly expand past what the buyer paid for.

If payment makes you feel awkward, do not bury the price in a DM thread. Put the scope, price, and file instructions on the page so the writer knows the terms before they send the manuscript. That also helps with payment scams: you are not relying on screenshots, promises to pay later, or a separate email chain to prove what was ordered. Brillay gives writers a way to pay for the fixed offer on one page.

Can a sensitivity reader accept partial manuscripts or excerpts?

Yes. Sensitivity reads are often scoped to part of a manuscript instead of the whole book. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association describes readers receiving either a full manuscript or a selection of scenes. If you are open to both, make a smaller excerpt option and a full-manuscript option, then price them separately.

Writing for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, sensitivity reader Georgina Kamsika describes being given "the full manuscript to review or a selection of scenes," while picture books are instead read at the early script and work-in-progress art stage, often with a second review of the final art and copy (SFWA).

Illustrative tiering (treat as a structural example, not a guaranteed price):

Followers pay upfront, and you can decline a request that outgrows the tier it was placed on, then ask the writer to place a new order for the larger scope.

Do you need a certification to sell sensitivity reads?

No formal qualification or certification governs sensitivity reading. The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading states outright that no formal training qualifies someone as an authenticity reader, and the Editorial Freelancers Association defines the role by community membership rather than by credential. Working readers qualify through lived experience and, often, editorial or subject-matter background.

"There's no formal training that qualifies you to become an authenticity reader. That said, resources exist to provide information on what you need to know to offer this service, such as a recorded webinar and booklet from the Editorial Freelancers Association." — Crystal Shelley, Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, "Authenticity reading. Part 2: Becoming an authenticity reader"

The demand for outside perspective sits against a workforce that is still largely homogeneous: 72.5% of the 8,644 US publishing, review-journal, and literary-agency staff who answered Lee & Low Books' 2023 Diversity Baseline Survey 3.0 identified as White, down from 76% in 2019 (Lee & Low Books, Diversity Baseline Survey 3.0).

There is no published industry count of how many books use sensitivity readers — the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association notes that no formal data exists — but individual readers report growth: Georgina Kamsika worked with 10 different publishers in 2021, 13 in 2022, and 16 in 2023 (SFWA).

Be specific and honest about why you are qualified for a given manuscript: the identity, culture, disability, or lived experience you can actually speak to. The Editorial Freelancers Association's own definition ties the role to "members of communities other than the author's own" providing that perspective (EFA Editorial Service Definitions), which is a useful model for your qualification line.

Should a sensitivity read include a call, or stay text-based?

Keep the read itself text-based unless you handle a separate call outside this offer. The core deliverable is written notes on a document, so a live call adds scheduling without changing what the writer receives. Published descriptions of the job put any conversation after the marked manuscript and report, not before the read is done.

The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading describes the authenticity reader answering client questions only after the marked manuscript and report are delivered — usually by email, sometimes by phone or video call if the client requests it (CIEP).

That shape works cleanly on Brillay: the writer submits the manuscript on your page, gives the details you ask for, and you send the promised notes as one order. No live call, no scheduling: you deliver the written notes within the window you set.

What else can a sensitivity reader offer on the same page?

Custom Work, where the sensitivity read lives, can sit beside Paid Questions, Goals, Tips, and Brand Collaboration Inquiries on the same page. You do not need to turn everything into a membership; a writer, client, or supporter can pay once for the exact kind of help they need.

• Goals: a named goal on your Brillay page, with a progress bar, where supporters can chip in without an all-or-nothing cutoff.
• Tips: one-time support from someone who wants to say thank you, with no notes or other work owed in return.
• Brand Collaboration Inquiries: a separate intake for publishers or editorial services that want to discuss ongoing or bulk work, routed to its own inbox rather than mixed into individual reader requests.

Related reading: sell a synopsis critique online covers a different, plot-focused feedback offer, and the same page can hold the wider set of paid offers available to people building an audience around books.

Frequently asked questions

Is a sensitivity read the same as a developmental edit?

No. A sensitivity read is narrowly focused on how a manuscript portrays a specific identity, culture, or lived experience; a developmental edit looks at structure, pacing, and overall craft. The Editorial Freelancers Association lists them as distinct editorial services priced at 1.2¢–1.5¢ and 3.0¢–3.5¢ per word respectively for fiction (EFA rate chart), so price and list them separately.

How much should I charge for a sensitivity read?

The Editorial Freelancers Association's rate chart reports a median of 1.2¢–1.5¢ per word, $50.00–$60.00 per hour, and a $300 median project fee for a sensitivity read (EFA rates). Use that as a market reference, then set your own price on Brillay based on your specific expertise, the manuscript's length, and your delivery time.

Do I need a certification to work as a sensitivity reader?

No. The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading states that "there's no formal training that qualifies you to become an authenticity reader" (CIEP). State the lived experience or subject-matter background that qualifies you for the specific manuscript instead.

Do I need to be part of the community I'm reading for?

Professional definitions of the role usually assume that direct perspective matters: the Editorial Freelancers Association describes sensitivity reads as "generally performed by members of communities other than the author's own" (EFA Editorial Service Definitions). State your specific qualifying background in your listing rather than offering sensitivity reading as a generic skill.

Should I open this as Custom Work or Paid Questions?

Use Custom Work for a real sensitivity read, because the writer needs to send a manuscript or excerpt and you need to deliver notes.

What does Brillay charge to run this as a paid offer?

The only charge from Brillay is the platform fee stated in the fee line above and on the pricing page. There is no follower minimum to start, and Stripe's published pricing lists US online-card processing at 2.9% + 30¢ per successful domestic-card transaction as a separate cost (Stripe pricing).

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