Nicole Fischer

Nicole Fischer – Editor

Developmental Editor & Coach | 10+ years of experience editing romance at HarperCollins, including a #1 NYT bestseller & Lambda Award winner

Overview

PLEASE NOTE: I’m fully booked for editing until JUNE 2026. But space might open up if a client's timeline shifts, so feel free to reach out with that in mind. I do still have openings for query package reviews and coaching starting in January & beyond!

*****

“Nicole’s editing expertise and invaluable insights helped launch me to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. She deeply invests herself in every project and pulls the best qualities of any manuscript to the surface. An author’s best friend.” — Tessa Bailey, NYT bestselling author of It Happened One Summer

I’ve been a genre reader since I could pick up a book. My professional area of expertise (and greatest love) is any subgenre of adult romance, but I also enjoy and actively read fantasy, suspense, and thrillers.

In my decade at WilliamMorrow/AvonBooks, I acquired and edited over 200 books, including a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestseller, multiple other national and international bestsellers, and the winner of the 2021 Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Romance. My books and authors have appeared on national tv, in magazines, on billboards, and in viral TikToks. Like a proud mama, I still like to find and snap pictures of my “book babies” at Target, Costco, airports, CVS, local grocery stores, etc. I left the industry in 2023 to explore other editing paths (teaching and coaching business writing), but the lure of fiction and my passion for helping authors perfect their novels could only be ignored for so long.

I’m a very dedicated and thorough developmental editor and coach who likes to offer suggestions that hopefully spark new ideas of your own! My edit letters are notoriously long (but gentle!), and I put plenty of smiley faces, exclamations, and hearts in the margins. *I do not use GAI in any way during my editing process.* While my traditional publishing portfolio largely features adult contemporary and historical romance due to imprint acquisition guidelines, I actively read/can edit fantasy, romantasy, dark romance, erotic romance, paranormal romance, contemporary book club fiction, thrillers, police procedurals, speculative fiction, and psychological suspense.

"Nicole never fails to unlock the hidden potential of my ideas. Working with her is always a pleasure and the results speak for themselves. Her skillful editing, passion for storytelling, and clear, supportive approach turn my rough drafts into diamonds." — Talia Hibbert, NYT bestselling author

"Editors wear many hats—from knowing where the market is going to honing in on where a book isn’t working to helping a writer get the words just right. Very few people are good at every aspect of the job. Nicole is one of them. A genuine rock star of the industry and an absolute asset to anyone lucky enough to work with her." — Ally Carter, NYT bestselling author

Services
Fiction
Chick Lit Contemporary Romance Historical Romance LGBTQ Fiction New Adult Romantic Comedy Romantic Suspense
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • NYU Copyediting Course

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2025 — Present
Freelance editor and book coach providing 1:1 sessions, industry consultations, query package reviews, developmental and line editing, plot and manuscript evaluations, and copy writing services. My clients include everyone from first-time writers looking to learn about craft to established authors who need help navigating the industry (traditional or self-publishing), foreign publishers looking for a U.S. editor to help fine-tune their English translations, and domestic publishers (Big 5 and indie) that outsource developmental and line editing work.

The D. E. Shaw Group

Jun, 2023 — Jan, 2025 (over 1 year)
Business writing coach, writing class instructor, and internal copywriter/editor, focusing on employee skill building and firmwide communications.

HarperCollins/Avon Books

Jun, 2017 — Jun, 2023 (about 6 years)
Developmental and acquisitions editor for Avon Books and William Morrow, focusing on brand management, bestselling author and agent relations, deal negotiations, market research, and content development for 15+ titles a year. I acquired and maintained a list of 35+ authors, including multiple national and international bestsellers such as Tessa Bailey, Talia Hibbert, Ally Carter, Mia Sosa, Alexandria Bellefleur, Mhairi McFarlane, and Vivienne Lorret, just to name a few. I also oversaw the digital-first imprint’s editorial direction, wrote SEO/cover copy for 100+ novels, and project managed every title.

HarperCollins/Avon Books

Jan, 2013 — Jun, 2017 (over 4 years)
Editorial Assistant, Assistant Editor, and Associate Editor - I provided editorial, project management, and admin support to multiple different executive editors and editorial directors over the years. I maintained internal databases, researched trends, read and recommended submissions, edited new acquisitions, and wrote descriptive copy. I worked closely with countless authors, including Ilona Andrews, Alisha Rai, Alyssa Cole, Lisa Kleypas, Jill Shalvis, Sally Thorne, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Meg Cabot, Sophie Jordan, Sarah MacLean, Eloisa James, Jeaniene Frost, Laura Lippman, Dorothea Benton Frank, Deborah Crombie, Laura Kaye, Jennifer Ryan, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Faye Kellerman, Elizabeth Lowell, and many more.

Portfolio

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing
Dog Days Forever: A Novel

Richard, Shannon

Avon

Developmental Editing Book Coaching
A Necessary End: A Novel

Brown, Holly

William Morrow

Editorial Assessment
Don't Try To Find Me: A Novel

Brown, Holly

William Morrow

Editorial Assessment
Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment Book Coaching
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
The Fiancée Farce: A Novel

Bellefleur, Alexandria

Avon

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Written in the Stars: A Novel

Bellefleur, Alexandria

Avon

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment

Nicole has 12 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Ann H.

Ann H.

Nov, 2025

Working with Nicole was amazing!
Robine J.

Robine J.

Oct, 2025

Working with Nicole was a pleasure from start to finish. From the moment she replied to my request, she seemed to understand what I needed even before I did. She offered insights and suggestions I never would have thought about myself. The video chat and her detailed feedback made me feel heard a...
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Katy J.

Katy J.

Aug, 2025

Nicole was great to work with. She is extremely well versed in the industry, especially in the romance genre. Her feedback was incredibly helpful and in depth. She was honest and sincere and did not pad anything, yet she was kind and up-lifting.
Taylor C.

Taylor C.

Jul, 2025

Nicole was monumentally helpful in my writing journey. I sought feedback from a couple different sources and while it was all beneficial in a motivational sense, Nicole’s was the only one that I felt like made a real positive impact on my story itself and not just on my ego. (Though she was incre...
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Paul A.

Paul A.

Jul, 2025

Very helpful! Thanks!!

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