Reviews

Donna Bartlett, Author, MedStrong: Shed Your Meds for a Better, Healthier You

Tammy Ditmore, a superb editor, was so instrumental in helping to manage the text and flow of the information. She was, like a composer with notes, astute in rearranging words and sections to define the movement of the information in a smooth and coherent way. She navigated the process calmly and expertly, especially when I felt overwhelmed or “stuck,” and maintained my voice and goals throughout the book. She guided the process in a way that helped me to concentrate on the content as she managed the details of editing.

Spencer Demetros, Author of award-winning book, The Bible: Enter Here, Bringing God’s Word to Life for Today’s Teens

Tammy is much more than an enormously talented editor. For me, she was my guiding light during the critical final stages of the evolution of my book. Not only can she transform a manuscript by making it more engaging, content-rich, concise, and, of course, technically correct. But she also takes it to a completely higher level by sharing her brilliant insights into how to make it more relatable, entertaining, and memorable. Tammy’s vast experience as a writer and editor, coupled with her broad industry knowledge, makes her an invaluable addition to any literary project that’s lucky enough to have her on the team. And, apart from all of that, her calm, upbeat, and caring disposition makes her an absolute pleasure to work with. I would recommend her in a heartbeat – Tammy is truly one in a million. 

Abigail Alleman,  Author, A Million Skies: Secure in God’s Strength When Your Mind Can’t Rest

Tammy was a pleasure to work with on my manuscript. Her honoring of my voice was top-notch. She entered my story so thoroughly and went above and beyond to make my words shine brighter than I could have done myself. I have so much gratitude for her coming alongside of me and giving so much of herself to not only do a job but to make my story ready for the world.

Brian Gitt, Entrepreneur, Writer, BrianGitt.com

Tammy has helped me become a better writer. I always look forward to seeing her email pop into my inbox. As I open the email and double click on the Microsoft Word file I look forward with anticipation to reviewing her edits. Like a used target at a shooting range there are red marks riddled throughout the page. And the right column is full of thoughtful comments. I appreciate her precision and thoroughness. Because I know every word she cuts, every crooked sentence she straightens, and every paragraph she reorders makes me better. Her sharp eyes always find my flabby sentences and help me improve the clarity of my writing. If you are interested in becoming a better writer don’t miss the opportunity to work with Tammy. You won’t regret it!

Janis Hutchinson, Author, The Joshua Project: Three Biblical Strategies To Strengthen Your Children and Grandchildren’s Faith Using Your Personal Testimonies

I can’t believe my good fortune to have found Tammy to edit my nonfiction book. I had narrowed down my editor search to ten; then I took advantage of their free sample offers. Nine of the editors were okay. Tammy’s edit, however, really showed her strength for detail and content development. I was absolutely wowed. She suggested, for example, how to improve the Introduction’s hook, added sentences that clarified a paragraph’s thought better, and deleted unnecessary words. She also mentioned that her paid editing would include correcting my endnotes to match CMOS guidelines. She did so much more in the sample edit than the others. No hands down; she won! Hiring her was the best move I ever made. She made my writing more effective, and I remain totally impressed at her editing gift. I highly recommend her and will use her for my next book.

Janene Heldman, Author of From Hell to Holy Places: The Path of Mindful Healing

This book has been a major effort for me over the past 15 years—both emotionally and in time commitment. Your feedback helped me give it structure. Your insightful questions encouraged me to go deeper  in my understanding and intentions, which provided enhanced clarity.  Your recommendations provided a professional perspective that I needed towards getting it published. Thank you so much! When entertaining any future writing projects, you will be the first person I contact.

Christina Stanton, Author of Out of the Shadow of 9/11: An Inspiring Tale of Escape and Transformation
 
Tammy is just amazing. Before my book made it over to Tammy, I had used two editors — one a well-known author in NYC. I was unhappy with the editing, and basically Tammy was my last try before I just set my book to the side. Not only did she totally understand my “voice” but she reconstructed, added, and melded in ways I would have never considered. She could take a mention from, say, page 83, and remember a related mention on page 15 and put them together — she was masterful at that. I never got the sense my voice and intent was ever lost in any of her edits — just made 100% better and more effective. And let me tell you she edited my book in one-half the price as the others, yet she was worth twice more than they charged. I could go on and on. Use her, trust her- she’s the best!
 

Tim Stanley, Author of The Peopling of Silicon Valley, 1940 to the Present Day: An Oral History

I had a book manuscript that had a thorough edit by a copy editor but there were many changes made and I wanted another set of eyes to look at  it carefully. So I hired Tammy Ditmore to do a “final” proofread and flag anything that she found awkward, confusing or ill-fitting. That is a difficult job—to look both for errors and to comment, but that is what I needed. Tammy took it on and did a great job. It is amazing how many awkward things survive many rewrites. I know they’re awkward but don’t know how to fix them and need someone to call me on them or offer a suggestion. In this regard Tammy was most helpful.  She did a good job on the proofreading also, for which I am most grateful. Tammy also understands a schedule and finished the work on time—even ahead of time. Thank you, Tammy. Great job!

Malik Wade, Author of Pressure: From FBI Fugitive to Freedom

Tammy Ditmore was the consummate professional. She was very humble in dealing with me and tailored her editing style to fit my specific needs. She was prompt and punctual with deadlines and was very open to communicating with me. I would hire her again in a heartbeat.

Dr. Stella Erbes, Associate Professor of Teacher Education, Pepperdine University

Thank you so much for your amazing editing skills and all your assistance with our journal article. I was so happy with this comment from the journal editor: “Yours is one of the very few papers that does not require any corrections prior to publication…” All thanks to you!

W. David Baird, Dean Emeritus of Seaver College, Pepperdine University

Tammy Ditmore edited my book, The Quest for Distinction: Pepperdine University in the 20th Century. It was a huge assignment, requiring skills that set her apart from most professional editors. She recognized the key themes of the manuscript immediately and proceeded to examine each paragraph, actually each word, in light of those themes. The result was a briefer, more coherent manuscript that will be read with greater interest and understanding. If the book is to be praised for lucidity and readability, it will be in large part because of Tammy Ditmore’s editorial skills.

Alison Kennedy, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at Chadwick Cannon Agency

Tammy is an excellent communicator. She is a conscientious individual who undertakes new challenges with a positive attitude. She has never failed to impress me with her meticulous manner and judicious approach to all tasks assigned to her. I can count on her to do a job and do it well.

 
Charles Renee Johnson, MBA, entrepreneur,
author appBLACKation Denied
 
This was my first book so I didn’t know what to look for in an editor. I wasn’t even sure if I knew how to express what I needed even if I did. It wasn’t until I submitted and received solutions to sample pages from a few different editors that I quickly figured it out. Tammy’s approach to editing was like telling a story to someone who listens very well and offers suggestions only when something is confusing or grammatically incorrect (or embarrassing). It didn’t take me long to eliminate the other editors who seemed concerned with telling my story their way instead of through my voice. In addition, her prices are fair and her contract was drafted almost exactly how I would’ve drafted it myself.  I’ve already begun recommending her services to friends.
 

J. Stephen Yuille, Pastor, Grace Community Church, Glen Rose, Texas
Adjunct Faculty, Redeemer Theological Seminary, Dallas

While rewarding in many ways, writing a book is a taxing and trying experience. Who wants to add an insensitive or incompetent editor to the mix? No one in their right mind! For this reason, I highly recommend Tammy Ditmore to you. She has edited three of my books in the past two years. Each time, I have been impressed with her professionalism, and pleased with her ability to provide a polished text. I accepted close to 100% of her recommendations for my last book. Tammy’s editorial decisions are well explained. She is courteous in the exchange of ideas that always takes place in any editing process, and she is conscientious when it comes to respecting an author’s original intent. In a word, Tammy is very gifted at her craft.

 
Todd Arnold, Managing Principal, Smart Customer Insights,
Author, Rethinking Utility Customer Care
 
Tammy Ditmore’s timely, thorough, detailed and accurate proofreading made my book print ready. She delivers high quality work on schedule and is a pleasure to work with. Tammy makes your book ready for prime-time.

Phuong Pham Uzoff, Doctor of Education in Learning Technologies,
Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology 

Tammy has been one of the reasons I was able to complete my dissertation in one year! Over the last year, I have submitted chapters to Tammy and she has always met the deadline. Tammy is sensitive to my work and does a great job to maintain the integrity of my writing and my voice! It is amazing the editing skills she has because I know I am not the strongest writer, but Tammy is very understanding to this and edits my work with such precision. I highly recommend anyone needing an editor to work with Tammy!

Patrick Allen, Professor of Higher Education and Leadership, George Fox University

You recently edited Ken Badley’s and my book on Faith and Learning for ACU Press. I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your wonderful work. I marvel at your eye for detail and your ability to make a written text so much better. Thank you very much!

Patricia Ryan, VP Education, International Council on Active Aging

Tammy has edited lengthy research reports, well-written articles and poorly written articles for ICAA, and I rely on her skill in wording and attention to detail. The pieces Tammy has edited are quite different in approach and purpose, and she has handled both equally well. I appreciate Tammy’s willingness to ask questions when appropriate, flex on deadlines, offer sound advice, and rewrite sentences or sections as needed. Her command of substantive and copy editing make Tammy an asset to any project.

Hannah Parmelee, former Relationship IQ Program Director, Boone Center for the Family,
Pepperdine University

 Tammy Ditmore is an excellent editor. My writing improved grammatically, in structure, and clarity under her skilled eye. She understood the content of the material so well that she was also able to offer helpful additions and expanded ideas. In areas that could be fairly academic and technical, Tammy made them approachable and easy to grasp by readers not trained in the field. All of my reviewers commented on how well the work was written. She is also very easy and pleasant to work with.  Tammy, thank you for polishing this work so well. 

Dewey W. Hall, Professor of English, California State Polytechnic University

Tammy Ditmore is a copy editor par excellence! She is professional, conscientious, and perceptive. She worked with me chapter-by-chapter over the course of nearly a year to hone my writing through attention to style, organization, and mechanics. Her close reading and keen eye have been invaluable during my revision process. I learned important guidelines about preparing my manuscript for its final review through this pleasant experience of working with her.

Ellen Snow, former Senior Manager, Seaver College, Pepperdine University

Tammy has been a great help with the Seaver College Academic Catalog.  This 450 page document requires a careful eye.  Tammy pays close attention to not only your traditional edits (punctuation, spelling, etc.), but she carefully thinks through the various implications that changes have and insures that the changes take place throughout the document.  She is immensely easy to work with and she puts in the time needed to really do justice to the job.  We have grown to be a great team over the last three years and I look forward to working with her again this year.

Alexis DeLee, former vice president, Crosswind Communications

Tammy is an excellent editor. Frequently, I send her work at the last minute and need it turned around on a very short deadline. Tammy never hesitates to take on a project – no matter the deadline. She completes everything on time and I can always count on superior results. I highly recommend Tammy to anyone looking for a professional, reliable and solid editor.

Phil Ward, author of Strategic Services, Raiding Rommel, Roman Candle and other novels in Raiding Forces series

Tammy Ditmore was recommended to me my by my publicist, Marika Flatt of PR by the Book.  She edited my third and fourth books of WWII historical fiction in the Raiding Forces Series, is in my plans to edit the fifth, and I will use her until she gets combat fatigue or succumbs to post traumatic stress syndrome from all the war stories. Personally, I feel the editing process is the most important aspect of writing–it can be a nightmare if the editor and the writer are not on the same page. I have worked with editors that made the experience miserable. In the last book, I accepted 98% of Tammy’s recommendations–only rejecting them when good grammar got in the way of a military term–which has to be some kind of record. Tammy knows what she is doing, she is easy to work with, and she delivers on time.

Rachel Adelson, author and managing editor of Sage Tree Publishing

Tammy handled the proofreading for my book, Staying Power: Age-Proof Your Home for Comfort, Safety and Style.  She was conscientious, dedicated to the project and expert at correcting stray typos, faulty commas and bad grammar.  Her grasp of English led her to make some useful recommendations on wording.  She was also very patient in dealing with schedule changes and helpful in working out the mechanics of sharing page proofs. I recommend her work.

C. Lee Parmenter, Ed.D., “Motivation and Learning Strategies:  A Correlational Study of Employee Training,” dissertation, Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Thanks for all your work. I will be a better writer, going forward, based on what I learned from your edits.

Karen Anderson, Anderson Family Ministry

I knew Tammy had a special gift with words when she helped me with senior English in high school. So, when I needed someone to help me write my book, “Determined to Trust,” I immediately thought of her. She took the words from my heart and crafted them into a flowing, readable story. Knowing the questions to ask and having the understanding of how the English language works are her undeniable strengths along with being prompt and dependable. I will not hesitate to use her services again when I have an editing or writing need.

Stewart Davenport, Professor of American History at Pepperdine University

Tammy Ditmore did an excellent job indexing my book, Friends of the Unrighteous Mammon: Northern Christians and Market Capitalism, 1815-1860 (University of Chicago Press, 2008). The book is very intricate and complex, but Tammy did a great job capturing and filing every important idea and historical figure. Her work on the index also met the approval of the University of Chicago Press, which has exceedingly high standards for style and accuracy.

Marla Markman, Editor and Project Manager at Markman Editorial Services

I began using Tammy’s services when I was managing editor of Entrepreneur Press, and I have continued to use her in my own company. She is an outstanding editor and writer. I recently used Tammy as a developmental editor for a complex and comprehensive trade book on the history of Israel. She was charged with turning a scholarly manuscript into an approachable and user-friendly book for a lay audience. She far exceeded the client’s expectations, even going so far as to write original text when necessary to pull the pieces together and tie the subject matter to the book’s theme. She worked exceedingly well with the client and was incredibly patient. I would use Tammy again in a heartbeat!

Karen Billipp, Eliot House Productions

Tammy is a skilled and thoughtful editor. She is creative, yet sensitive to keeping the author’s voice intact. Her work is always professional and of the highest quality.