WOW! Women On Writing Workshops & Classes

invest in yourself, write now

SENSITIVITY / AUTHENTICITY READING SERVICES with Lara Ameen

RETURN TIME: 1 week (for 5K packages), 2 weeks (for 10K packages)

DESCRIPTION: When you purchase a sensitivity reading package, you are an author seeking consultation on a manuscript that is meant for middle grade, young adult, or adult readers.

Lara can do sensitivity/authenticity reading for short stories, novels, essays, plays, podcast/audio drama scripts, non-fiction, and screenplays. For novels, she can read Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult, any genre. But she especially loves any kind of fantasy, gothic horror, or speculative stories! She doesn’t feel comfortable working on picture books or chapter books.

Lara has worked on books published by Penguin Random House, Candlewick Press, Simon & Schuster, and Sterling Kids, among others.

PROJECTS LARA HAS WORKED ON:

• Martin McClean, Middle School Queen by Alyssa Zaczek (MG contemporary novel)
• The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath (YA historical novel)
• The Way We Haunt Now by Courtney Floyd (supernatural audio drama podcast)
• Bear With Me Now by Katie Shepard (Adult rom-com novel)
• Stranger Skies by NYT Bestseller Pascale Lacelle (YA dark academia fantasy novel)

And many more!

Lara will provide: detailed in-line comments in the manuscript on the focus area and also describe what she loves about the project and offer constructive feedback; OPTIONAL: a reader’s report summarizing Lara’s thoughts and what can be improved *upon request*

Lara was a valuable expert reader for Martin McLean, Middle School Queen by Alyssa Zaczek. She provided detailed feedback on a disabled character who uses a wheelchair as well as guidance on eliminating ableist language from the text. Lara was a pleasure to work with and her notes went above and beyond to strengthen the book. ~ Rachael Stein, Freelance Children’s Book Editor, Formerly Editor, Sterling Children's Books Lara Ameen brings deep expertise and a passion for story to her sensitivity reading. The thoughtful comments and excitement Lara brought to my project, The Way We Haunt Now, helped me add depth to my world building and approach one of my characters with a new perspective. ~ Courtney Floyd, Creator & Showrunner, The Way We Haunt Now Podcast Hiring Lara Ameen to be a sensitivity reader for The Reckless Kind was one of the best decisions I made. Her insightful feedback not only helped improve the manuscript but helped me grow as a writer. I have no doubt her guidance will inspire aspiring writers in so many ways. ~ Carly Heath, author of The Reckless Kind

IDENTITIES LARA CAN READ FOR:

Materials needed: Access to a computer with Internet and Microsoft Word. Email account with your document.

Lara Ameen is a screenwriter, novelist, short fiction writer, sensitivity/authenticity reader, and holds a PhD in education with a disability studies emphasis from Chapman University. She received an MFA in screenwriting from California State University, Northridge. Her YA contemporary fantasy novel, SPAER, was awarded a disabled writers’ grant from Suffering the Silence, longlisted in Voyage YA's First Chapters Contest, and their Book Pitch Contest. A 2022 Lambda Literary Screenwriting Fellow, 2022 Mentorship Matters TV Writing Program Finalist, and a 2022 NBC Launch TV Writing Program Finalist, she was a 2023 Screenwriting Mentee as part of 1in4 Coalition’s mentorship program for disabled screenwriters. She is a 2021 alum of the Tin House YA Workshop and 2021 and 2024 alum of the Futurescapes Writers' Workshop. She was also a mentor for Round Table Mentor in 2024, a program dedicated to bringing diversity and equity into publishing and will return as a mentor in 2025. As a writing instructor and freelance fiction editor for Women on Writing, she believes in uplifting marginalized writers across all backgrounds. Lara teaches the WOW courses Writing Disabled Characters in Fiction and Writing Fantasy Fiction, and has written the article for WOW, “How to Become a Sensitivity/Authenticity Reader.” Her short fiction has been published in Prismatica Magazine, Disabled Voices Anthology, Flash Fiction Magazine, Drunk Monkeys, just femme & dandy, Hairstreak Butterfly Review, and elsewhere. She made her traditional publishing debut as a contributor to the 2024 Lambda Literary finalist Young Adult multi-genre anthology Being Ace, published by Page Street YA.

COST: $100 (up to 5,000 words), $200 (up to 10,000 words), which includes detailed in-line comments in the manuscript on the focus area, as well as a description of what Lara loves about the project and constructive feedback; OPTIONAL: a reader’s report summarizing Lara’s thoughts and what can be improved.

BONUS! Many writers hire Lara to sensitivity/authenticity read their full manuscript. All writers who purchase this introductory package will receive a 10% discounted rate on a full manuscript sensitivity/authenticity read by Lara.

BUY NOW: Sensitivity/Authenticity Reading Services with Dr. Lara Ameen.