Sensitivity Reading Service
If you're looking for a sensitivity reader for lgbtq+ characters and stories, particularly queer men and non-binary characters. You've come to the right place.
Hello, I'm Drew. That's me on the left. Yep, pretty gay.
There's 2 types of writer who come to me for a sensitivity read:
- Writers who are not lgbtq+, but have included lgbtq+ characters in their story.
- Queer writers who are a different flavour than queer male.
Whatever your reason for seeking out an lgbtq+ sensitivity reader (AKA authenticity reader), read on for more about me, and my services.
Or skip right to the bottom for my rates.
Why use me as your sensitivity reader?
I’m not someone who thinks that just because I’m gay/queer, I’m automatically qualified to be a sensitivity reader. My knowledge doesn’t come solely from my own experiences.
I am always learning and listening to the queer community, reading and watching queer content, and speaking with my queer friends. I have an lgbtq+ writing newsletter to help all writers writer better lgbtq+ characters and stories. I'm well-known within the screenwriting and publishing industries, as both a writer and an lgbtq+ specialist.
A sensitivity read with me doesn’t just draw from my lived experience but also from a broader understanding of the LGBTQ+ community. And because I’m a writer myself, you’ll benefit from my craft expertise—I understand how stories work, and I know that sometimes certain tropes, clichés, and stereotypes might need to be used intentionally.
A few gay facts about me:
- I have known I was different since I was 8.
- I have known I was gay (but kept secret, aka in the closet) since I was 10/11.
- I have been out as gay since I was 22.
I’m now 46. This means I’ve lived through Section 28 in the UK and seen laws around gay sex, adoption, civil partnerships, and marriage change. I’ve gone from believing marriage as a gay man was illegal and impossible, to watching things evolve. Step by step. From public consultations, to government readings, to parliament voting, to actual laws. Of course, I've also seen the backlash to all of that along the way.
I’ve seen queer representation shift from nearly non-existent to overly tropey, to the WORLD FIRST gay kisses, relationships, and main characters, to what we have today (which, just so you know, is struggling again).
I’ve been a sensitivity reader for over three years. I’ve worked with screenwriters on queer short films, TV pilots, and feature scripts. I’ve helped novelists writing YA, historical fiction, male/male erotica, and modern-day stories. I’ve even worked with a major publishing house on a big release.
Oh, and I'vw also written for TV, and my debut novel releases in March 2025.
So what do you get EXACTLY, from a sensitivity read with me?
First, you get someone who will truly vibe with your story. I’ll immerse myself in your characters, plot, and world, so any advice I give will be tailored specifically to YOU and THIS story. As a neurodivergent person, I notice everything, and I’ll dive into your characters’ motivations, whether they’re good, bad, or fabulously morally grey.
Most reads take about 2 weeks. That's because it takes time to read and absorb your work, and let things things sink in, so I can give you the best, most thoughtful feedback I can.
You'll receive two documents from me.
Document one.
Sticky notes on your manuscript or screenplay.
I will read your manuscript over (usually) ten days.
This isn't like normal reading. You know, where sometimes you have to reread whole pages because you got distracted thinkin about other things. No. This is active reading. Paying attention to every word. Often I will re-read lines/paragraphs/pages to make sure I fully understand where you're coming from as a writer.
During the read, I will highlight text (on a pdf copy of your manuscript or screenplay) and make 'sticky notes' comments.
The comments will;
- Let you know the highlighted moment is something I absolutely love for personal reasons.
- Let you know this is a queer thing that is particularly authentic and my reasons why I think that (because sometimes writers do something so very queerly real by accident).
- Let you know if I think there's something you can dig deeper into and add more authentic queerness. I will give you specific examples of how you could do this. This might be a moment where you could add great queer backstory to reveal character, little details that help your queer character leap off the page (and make your queer readers smile knowingly because they've been there), something they do physically or say, or something in the background that will add texture and nuance. Often these suggestions will be based on my lived experience or that of my friends (don't tell them).
- Let you know if something is leaning into an lgbtq+ trope, cliché or stereotype that queer audiences dislike. I'll explain the issue and give you suggestions on how you could subvert it.
- Let you know if something is really problematic and should be re-written. In all honesty, I've only ever done this once. I won't tell you off or be nasty about it. I will give you my reasons why a change is needed and offer solutions.
All suggestions are yours to do with as you please. You can use my suggestions as written, use them as a jumping off board to spark your own ideas. All my suggestions are YOURS to use freely, I will NOT try and claim ownership of them. The suggestions will be specific to YOUR characters and YOUR story anyway
Or you can completely ignore them. You are under no obligation to use any ideas at all.
Document two.
A separate pdf with feedback on each lgbtq+ character individually, their arc, and the story as a whole.
This may touch on moments I've highlighted on the manscript/screenplay, but will focus on the characters individually. I'll give advice on their arc, how they come across to a queer audience, how authentic they appear, and I'll give tips on how you can make them more nuanced and textured.
I may ask questions about things that didn't make sense to me. I may also recommends TV shows, films, books or even real-life events that have similarities to your work. Not in a bad way. For you to read/watch/learn about so you can see if it sparks any new ideas for your next draft.
Again, any ideas are yours to use, (or not), as you see fit.
A sensitivity read with me also comes with an extra round of questions from you. So after you've let my feedback sink in and if you have further questions about anything I've mentioned, or if there's something you're concerned about that I've not mentined at all, you can pop them all into an email and I'll answer them.
Next steps for hiring me as your
sensitivity reader.
You can contact me on the contact page. Let me know a little about your story and characters. So far there hasn't been anything I have not wanted to read for personal reasons, but you never know.
What are my rates?
I charge £0.005/word (roughly $0.006) for manuscripts. (Subject to a minimum charge of £50).
I charge £1.50/page (roughly $1.87) for screenplays. (Subject to a minimum charge of £50).
My rates reflect my experience, knowledge, and level of service. Not to mention the time that goes into reading and providing feedback. Please see the testimonials page for my happy clients. I have never had an unhappy client (and touch wood I never will). My feedback comes with love and from a place of truly wanting YOUR story to be the best it can be.
And please, still get in touch if your budget is stretched. I'm always happy to help individual writers however I am able.
I also offer a mini sensitivity read for manuscripts for £50.
I'll look at UP TO 10,000 words of a specific chapter/s with lgbtq+ characters in.
This is not as in-depth as a regular sensitivity read as I'm not looking at the whole story or the queer character's full arc.
I'll give you feedback on the lgbtq+ character/s in the chapter/s; how they come across, moments I think you could dig deeper and add more nuance, and any moments that seem inauthentic,
cliché, tropey, or otherwise problematic.
I can do this same day, as it only takes an hour or two. Check availability first though as sometimes I might not be able to get to if for a few days.