Author Talk: Annie Cosby
We’ve had the pleasure of working with hundreds of writers, editors, and content creators over the years. Every project is different and so are the reasons writers choose to work with sensitivity readers. This month we spoke to YA fantasy author Annie Cosby to tell us why she decided to work with a sensitivity reader and what that experience was like.
Renee: Annie, tell us a little about yourself as a writer. What kinds of stories do you write?
Annie: Most of my published work consists of YA fantasy that focuses on different themes from Celtic mythology translated into a modern setting. Lately, I’ve also dabbled in domestic thrillers!
What about sensitivity reading appealed to you as a writer?
Despite all the heated discourse about sensitivity reading online and in industry publications, it always seemed like a no-brainer to me. I’m white, and I was fortunate to grow up in a diverse neighborhood, where it was just an obvious fact of life that my neighbors and classmates had different life experiences than I did. I wanted my stories to reflect the wonderfully diverse world we live in, so it only made sense that I would try to do as much justice as possible to the characters I wrote that weren’t informed by my own lived experiences.
The simple fact is that we can never truly know what someone else’s life is like. This is true, of course, of literally anyone, but there is a greater risk of harm when you’re writing characters with marginalized identities that you don’t personally have. For that reason, I think you have a greater responsibility to do everything in your power to get it right.
When you were writing your novel, was there a particular moment when you knew you wanted a sensitivity reading?
No, as soon as I knew my characters, I knew I would hire sensitivity readers. As a white woman writing modern teens of different ethnicities with magical powers, I knew I needed help. Some people think, “But it’s fantasy! None of it is real!” Because of that assumption, I think fantasy can be even trickier, in some ways. When we’re writing stories that transcend reality and include things like magic and monsters, there’s a tendency to believe we’re writing from a wholly creative and free place. But the truth is that, as writers, as humans, we bring our underlying prejudices and experiences into everything we write. Yes, even fantasy!
What did you hope your sensitivity reader would help you with?
My expectations going in were fairly broad. I was hoping the sensitivity reader would look out for any specific things that were insulting or problematic, of course (first, do no harm), but I also wanted my reader to look at the story as a whole and make sure my representations of characters of color were empowering, interesting, and inspiring.
When in your writing process did you hire the sensitivity?
For my first book, I worked with the sensitivity reader during the revision phase, so right after I had a completed first draft. That worked out fine, but my brilliant sensitivity reader suggested we work from the outline stage for the next book so that we could face any challenges before the story got fleshed out too much. We did that, and then she read again when I had a completed draft. That was the perfect workflow, in my opinion!
What would you say to authors who are unsure about working with sensitivity reader?
What do you have to lose? Besides your ill-conceived notions and underlying prejudices. 😉
I’m being glib, but it is the truth. Everyone wants to think the best of themselves, and opening yourself up to critique is never easy. But the stark reality is that we live in an unequal world where people with certain identities have privileges that others don’t have. No matter how anti-racist we attempt to be, prejudices and stereotypes will seep into our consciousness. It’s inevitable in this society we inhabit. If the last 10 years have taught me anything, it’s that acknowledging that inevitability and actively fighting against it every day is the first step in being anti-racist.
Thanks, Annie!
Annie Cosby is a short, dog-loving romantic who works in digital marketing by day and writes fiction by night. She spent three years living in Galway, Ireland, which gave her mono, set her soul on fire, and introduced her to her future husband. She lives and writes in a little brick house in her hometown of St. Louis, Mo., with her Rottweiler mix, Lucy, and her favorite Irishman, Michael.
Website: https://www.anniecosby.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anniecosby/
Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Annie-Cosby/author/B00IMKNRLE