Book Review- Intuitive Editing

Summary:

Editing your own writing can feel like doing your own brain surgery. After you’ve completed your manuscript and you’re standing at the foot of Revision Mountain, climbing to the summit can feel impossible. It’s hard to look at your own writing with the objective eye needed to shape it into a tight, polished, publishable story—but just like writing, self-editing is a skill you can learn.

Developmental editor Tiffany Yates Martin has spent her career in the publishing industry honing practical, actionable techniques to help authors evaluate how well their story is working, where it might not be, and how to fix it.

With a clear, accessible, user-friendly approach, she leads writers through every step of deepening and elevating their own work, as well as how to approach the edit and develop their “editor brain,” and how to solicit and process feedback. Intuitive Editing doesn’t offer one-size-fits-all advice or rigid writing “rules”; instead it helps authors discover what works for their story and their style—to find the best version of their vision.

Whether you’re writing fiction, narrative nonfiction, or memoir; whether this your first story or your fiftieth, Intuitive Editing will give you the tools you need to edit and revise your own writing with inspiration, motivation, and confidence.

What I Thought:

If ten stars was a rating, I would give this book 11. Not only is Tiffany Yates Martin my dream editor, she also proves in this book her genuine desire for authors to write their best and succeed. The image in this post is not the usual digital image I use for other reviews. The image is of my personal, beat up, worn, and often used copy of her book. I recommend this to all of my coaching clients and use this guide as well to keep me on track with editing. I would read THIS book before reading Stephen King’s “On Writing”.

As an audio type learner, I did listen to this book in its entirety (at 2x speed, because ADHD) on Audible and made notes in the physical book as I went along. Martin narrates the audio version and the quality is of the highest caliber, as she is a former actor. Her formal training shines. The audible was like hanging out with her for ten hours while also learning every secret to editing yourself she could possibly think of. There are no tips and tricks left to reveal.

If you want a methodical system to make sense of editing that won’t fizzle out 2/3 into your book, Intuitive Editing is definitely something you will benefit from. While (as of writing this review) she has limited availability for new clients, I know from experience her newsletter is just as helpful and encouraging. Buy the book. Sign up for the newsletter and thank me later.

About the Author:

In more than 25 years in the publishing industry, developmental book editor Tiffany Yates Martin has worked both with major publishing houses and directly with authors (through her company FoxPrint Editorial), on books by New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling authors and award winners as well as newer writers. She presents objective editing and writing craft workshops for writers’ groups, organizations, and conferences to help authors learn to edit their own writing and revise their stories. She also offers editing tips and advice on creative story revision for numerous writers’ sites and publications.

I love reading, and at times I find myself able to take on free book reviews for friends and acquaintances. If you wouild like me to consider reviewing your book, I encourage you to reach out. I cannot take on many projects at once, but I promise to consider your request.