editor

Featured Edit: The Supporting Class

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The Supporting Class

By Suzette Rivers

SERVICE: Developmental Edit + Proofread

Suzette came to The Intuitive Editor in the fall of 2023, when they were seeking editorial help in how to structure and frame their poetry book so it had a cohesive flow. They also wanted to make sure it was clear in its messaging while still respecting their creative voice.

Suzette self-published their collection of poetry in December 2023. Available at Barnes & Noble online.

What inspired you to seek out editorial support?

I sought out editorial assistance/proofreading because writing poetry in my own voice was easy, but making it clear what I wanted to say to others was harder. This way, I didn’t have to journey into the world of publishing and sharing alone.

Why did you choose The Intuitive Editor to help you with your book?

The Intuitive Editor has been a good friend of mine for many years. She has proven to be creative, generous, and kind, and I knew that she was the right person to trust with works precious to me. Everything posted on her Instagram shows that she is the type of person I wanted feedback from.

What was your favorite aspect of working with The Intuitive Editor?

I appreciated the emotional response The Intuitive Editor provided! She was able to tell me how my writing made her feel and that helped me stay motivated. I also learned a lot about grammar I didn’t quite understand before and that was wildly helpful.

In what way do you feel The Intuitive Editor helped you most?

I feel like she showed me how to use my own intuition to figure out where “proper grammar” was necessary in poetry and where I could do as I wished for creative reasons.

As someone with a past of being prolific in writing poetry (more than a year of writing a poem every day) and who studied the format extensively in college, I was so excited when the opportunity to work on a collection of poetry arose.

What I love about poetry is that every little thing can be an intentional choice, and sometimes that means using a line break instead of a comma or period or omitting punctuation altogether. I also love how wordplay is part of the poetic game.

It was fun to point out opportunities to play with these aspects to add further dimension and intrigue—to draw the reader into the intended meaning (or contrariwise, make them ponder it further). The poet gets to make the call for what they want—just like any other author!

It was a pleasure to work with Suzette! I was honored & delighted when they first came to me to help with their book of poems. I loved finding pieces Suzette wrote I deeply related to (there were a lot!) while I helped them frame and order the poems in a way that added a dynamic flow to the book as a whole.

Thanks for your kind words, Suzette, and for trusting The Intuitive Editor with your poetry! Wishing you all the best on your publishing journey and beyond!

Suzette Rivers

Author of The Supporting Class

@suzieneverlands on Instagram

Photo by:
Kylee Ogzewalla / Wonderglass Photography

What a Little Star Can Do

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flowers on opened book

When I tell you this blew my mind… It BLEW. My. MIND.

Now, before I sit down to edit any client’s book, I have a little ritual I partake in. Goes a little something like this…

I take a few deep breaths. Maybe I move my body around a little to release any stagnant energy. And I go to my crystal collection. I pick out whichever crystals feel supportive for the particular book I’m working on. Each time, my little crinoid fossil star wants to be included when I’m editing.

Every time.

Considering I’m a bit of a crystal junkie, I feel like I should have known the significance of this little star-shaped fossil, but I didn’t. I just liked that they were ancient fossils in the shape of stars and they were quite affordable, so I got a few.

Right before a recent book reading—not to be confused for reading a book, but an intuitive reading for someone’s book—this crystal was like, “Pick me!” Just like normal.

When I do the intuitive readings, I share which helpers (crystals, plants, songs, etc.) come along and what their properties are, and I realized I never actually looked up what these little crystals meant.

And when I looked it up, I found this:

“Fossils are thought to be a wonderful tool to assist you in moving from the old to the new and to be receptive to the fresh, innovative forces that are available to you. Fossils may assist you in your quest for transition, transformation, and personal growth, helping you to understand the process of change. They may also help you instill quality and excellence in your environment.” – Source

Um, WHAT? I didn’t even know this, and I love how supportive this little fossil is for the work I do—which is literally to take something and transform it into its best form. I take books and content from their previous form to a polished form while offering a fresh perspective on how to elevate their words and stories.

And me being me, I do my best to instill quality and excellence in everything I do, particularly when it comes to my work.

But how cool is that? That the stone I’ve been selecting for my editing work is perhaps one of the most perfect stones I could have found to support me in it. What a fun discovery about a little stone that’s been part of my work process for the past couple of years!

I also love that these crinoid star stems—which stem from ancient fossilized sea lilies—have also been known as fairy coins. I’d believe it. 😉

Are you a crystal junkie like me?
What crystals do you feel drawn to all the time?
And have you looked up their spiritual/metaphysical properties yet?

Fun little practice if you haven’t tried it yet…

A Call to Joy – How TIE Was Born

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I want to tell you a secret…

I want to tell you how and why The Intuitive Editor was born.

Because I realize I haven’t told anyone except my coach in 2021…

Why It All Began

The Intuitive Editor was born because writing is one of the most natural things I do. It’s not something I’ve ever felt self-conscious about. And it was something I became known and recognized for. It’s been my selling point for every job I’ve held. 

I’ve always been a writer, pouring stories onto pages since I learned how to write.

And just like writing, reading fills my soul.

Both reading & writing are where my playtime, my learning, my growth, my self-reflection, and my creativity live and thrive.

I love writing in all the ways it serves me and all the ways I can create new things with just words. I can transport and change others just like what I’ve read has transported and changed me throughout my life.

From Writing to Proofreading…

From my love of writing in all the work and all the jobs I’ve done, I began to love improving writing.

Taking an article and cleaning it up. Making sure headlines and lower thirds are accurate. Proofing emails and brochures before they go out. Shiny, sparkly, and clear.

The writing jobs beautifully segued into editing and proofreading. I fell into it and fell in love. 

There’s nothing like taking a piece of writing and polishing it up so it’s free of errors and clear in its message. Scrubbing out all those errors, typos, and misused verb tenses littering the path along the way.

And I love learning about how to improve my writing and editing skills. Those two passions co-exist within me.

The more I write, the better I get.

The more I edit, the better I get at both writing and editing.

Seems like a win-win, no?

A Call to Pursue My Joy

When it became clear to me during the pandemic that I needed to be writing more, that writing calls me more than anything else I do… I found that my voice and stories needed the space, energy, and freedom to pour from me.

And the work I was doing… Needed a big adjustment to allow that. 

While I love writing in all its facets, freelance writing is actually quite draining for me. In multiple ways. Energetically and creatively.

I knew I needed to find work and build a career that wouldn’t drain my creative juices so much and also felt enjoyable because… I’m simply not available for work I don’t enjoy. I know I won’t be motivated to do it if enjoyment isn’t there, and that’s not fair to anyone.

So, I sat down and explored what work I most loved to do that didn’t suck my creative juices dry.

Enter editing…

Every single job I’ve had, I have proofread, copyedited, and edited countless files and documents. And that’s always been my favorite part of every job!

In every office, I became the go-to proofreader, earning the moniker “The Machine”  since I was so efficient and accurate in catching errors and maintaining style guides prior to print, post, or broadcast.

Even when a close friend or family member sent me something for a quick once-over, I’d get so excited that I would literally drop everything to proofread something for them to help. It became my favorite way to help loved ones. 

Serendipitously, a few years back, I was invited to join a book editing firm as a book editor and copyeditor. And honestly? That was the most excited for a job that I’ve ever been. And it’s been the best job ever—plus, I get to work with a dear friend and mentor who saw my potential. <3

What It All Boils Down To…

I love diving into something to make it better. I love correcting the errors and providing guidance for the writer to improve their work in the future. That’s ridiculously fun for me, and I can literally do it for hours without looking up. 

Sometimes it feels like alchemy… Taking something and making it shine. Spinning words and stories into gold. 

That’s it… I’m a story alchemist.

That obsession and excitement to do that kind of work was my sign—my billboard from the Universe—for what kind of work I should be doing.

Then I Started My Business!

So, now I’m here, with my own editing business. One that incorporates my core strengths: my intuition, writing, and editing prowess. It really is a perfect marriage of my skills. 

And in creating this business, my hope and dream is that my editing business will support other writers & creatives live a more balanced and creatively enriched life while polishing up their stories and increasing their potency—while also maintaining my own creative writing practice. 

Because the Universe knows this girl has piles of stories coming out of each finger tip that she wants to put to the page. (I’ve got a couple over here in the Bookshop!)

When it comes time for me to send my books out into the world, you can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be hiring an editor or two myself.

After all, even editors need editors!

Want to Work With Me?

So, if you’re ready to step into a more divinely led creative path, putting your stories onto the page, and building a creative practice that’s in harmony with the rest of your life… I’d be tickled & honored to help you shape and polish your written works too.

Thanks for being here and hearing my story. <3

The Woman Behind the Editing Curtain

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In case you’re wondering who is behind The Intuitive Editor, look no further.

My name is Mikael (pronounced Mih-kehl, she/her), and I am the editor & writer behind this purple curtain.

And I cannot wait to help you make your content shine. Whether it’s a book, a website, articles or blogs, your resume or cover letters, I’ve literally done it all! With more than 12 years under my belt as a professional writer and editor, I have a plethora of experience writing and editing that spans a number of industries and styles.

Not only that, but I’ve spent the last six years honing my intuitive abilities since they came roaring onto the scene with my Saturn return—my most attuned psychic abilities include clairvoyance (clear seeing), clairsentience (clear feeling), and claircognizance (clear knowing).

This means I can see straight into the heart of the matter and channel what’s there—whether its your business, book, or message—so we can strip away what’s unnecessary, clarify what’s there for more impact, and proof & polish it all to how it’s best meant to serve you and your audience.

With the technical editorial experience combined with crystal clear intuitive insights, I help you to elevate your writing to new heights while also offering suggestions to further improve your writing skills. And because I enjoy this work so much, I aim to make it an enjoyable experience for you as an author too. (I, too, am a writer and understand how scary it can be to hire an editor in the first place.)

What matters is that I help your words shine through in your own voice so you can make the impact that you desire to make and reach the people that resonate most with your message. I’m here to help make your writing sing with confidence & heart while also keeping away those distracting grammar/punctuation/spelling mistakes that make you look unprofessional.

Your words are what represent you… And I can help you to make them sparkle and shine from the inside out. Let’s talk.