Nicole Frail

Nicole Frail – Editor

Publishing house senior (acquiring and project) editor with 13 years of professional experience. Offering freelance editorial services.

Overview

I am a professional fiction and nonfiction editor working remotely from my home office in northeastern Pennsylvania, where I reside with my husband and our three amazing and energetic boys. I have edited more than five hundred (500!) titles for my full-time job, headquartered in New York City, and have worked with both first-time and celebrity/bestselling authors. I am looking to extend those services on a freelance basis to writers wishing to brush up their manuscripts before submitting to agents/publishing houses or before custom/self-publishing.


At this time, I'm available for full and partial manuscript critiques/assessments, developmental editing, and copy editing, proofreading, and query letter reviews. I am also now offering book coaching! I have experience with children's, middle grade, young adult, and adult publishing.


My turnaround time is usually one month, and my rates will most likely be very close to the one predicted for you using Reedsy's calculator. Enter your genre and word count to find out what I may quote you. (There are absolutely exceptions!)


I very rarely have immediate availability. I will most likely offer you a spot two months from the time of your request, as I book ahead as often as possible. This allows you to go over your manuscript a few more times before sending it off, and it allows me to book specific time to work with you, rather than trying to squeeze you into a packed schedule.


Regardless of the service booked, when you work with me, you are working with a publishing consultant, as well. Included in any services booked, you'll also get answers to any of the traditional publishing questions you've always wondered: What genre does my book fall under? How can I make my book summary/blurb stand out? Is my audience adult or young adult? Is there crossover potential? What's my next step? As we work together, I'd be happy to answer any of these and more.


Note: I will help you write queries and will examine lists of agencies you may want to submit to, but I will not make the connection/do the outreach for you.


Feel free to contact me for more information about my services or me.

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Cozy Mysteries LGBTQ Fiction Picture Books Romance Women's Fiction Young Adult
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Aug, 2015 — Present

I offer editorial services on a freelance basis to authors who wish to query publishers/agents and those who wish to independently publish. I draw on more than a decade of traditional publishing experience to assist authors in whichever path they choose. I consider myself a publishing consultant as well as an editor.

Skyhorse Publishing

May, 2012 — Present

From acquiring and editing, to photo research for cover designs, and everything in between (writing sales points and cover copy, securing endorsements, directing interior design), I have my hands in just about everything for every one of the books on my list. Seasons come and go, but I'm happy to say that I remain in touch with many of my authors, even after publication. My main focus areas including adult nonfiction cooking and lifestyle titles, as well as young adult fiction and nonfiction and picture books. (I know this is an odd combination, but I'm more than pleased to be doing all of it!)

Northeast Editing, Inc.

Feb, 2009 — May, 2012 (about 3 years)

Honed my writing skills here! I co-authored and was a ghost writer for many Cram Plan and For Dummies books, including Culinary Careers for Dummies. (That one was my favorite!) I wrote test-prep materials for grades K through 12, as well as for professionals such as vet techs and lawyers.

Portfolio

This is the illustrated story of 23 soccer players who worked together to become World Cup champions and heroes to millions of men, women, boys, and girls across America and around the world. In July 2019, a record number of people all around the world tuned i... read more
This book, fitting into the same niche as John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars and Jennifer Niven’s All the Bright Places, will be a must-read for those fans."—School Library Journal on Interlude by Chantele SedgwickNew town, new friends, new guy . . . and an o... read more
One kingdom. One crown. One family.“Maybe it’s time the great House of Rey came to an end. After all, what are we now? Just a house of rage and sorrow.” Esmae once wanted nothing more than to help her golden brother win the crown of Kali but that dream died wi... read more
A fun, witty, light-hearted romantic comedy—The Rosie Project, for teens Seventeen-year-old Amalia Yaabez and Ezra Holtz couldn’t be more different. They’ve known (and avoided) each other their whole lives; she unable to stand his buttoned-up, arrogant, perfec... read more
From New York Times bestselling author, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, philanthropist, photographer come a full-color children’s book that will spark the imagination and teach about the environment.Jump aboard the White Feather Flier, a magical plane that... read more
Love, Lucas

Chantele Sedgwick

A 2015 Whitney Award Nominee!A powerful story of loss, second chances, and first love, reminiscent of Sarah Dessen and John Green.When Oakley Nelson loses her older brother, Lucas, to cancer, she thinks she’ll never recover. Between her parents’ arguing and th... read more
Holly Russo couldn’t be happier. Christmas, her favorite time of year, is only seven weeks away, and her boyfriend has just popped the question. David is steady and reliable, and Holly knows he’ll give her a wonderful life. The kind of life she’s always wanted... read more
Seventeen, fashion-obsessed, and gay, Abby Ives has always been content playing the sidekick in other people’s lives. While her friends and sister have plunged headfirst into the world of dating and romances, Abby’s been happy to focus on her plus-size style b... read more
Alien queen Kora has a problem as vast as the endless crimson deserts. She’s the first female ruler of her territory in generations, but her people are rioting and call for her violent younger twin brother to take the throne. Despite assassination attempts, a ... read more
Seventeen-year-old Carter Lane has wanted to be a chef since she was old enough to ignore her mom’s warnings to stay away from the hot stove. And now she has the chance of a lifetime: a prestigious scholarship competition in Savannah, where students compete al... read more
When Mia Cox finds out she can’t donate her kidney to save her younger sister’s life, she doesn’t hesitate to jump on a plane to New York, convinced she can talk their estranged birth mother, Carmen, into donating hers instead. She doesn’t know the city or how... read more
Still mourning the loss of Lucas Nelson, the boy she loved in secret for years, seventeen-year-old Emmy Martin turns to her passion for mountain biking to try to fill the empty void in her life. But just when things start looking up, Emmy discovers her mom has... read more
“In this seamless fusion of fantasy and sci-fi, Sangu Mandanna combines a dazzling world with gripping, high-stakes family drama. An epic opening chapter.” —Samantha Shannon, New York Times bestselling authorThe first book in a scifi retelling of the Mahabraha... read more
How to Make Out

Brianna Shrum

Sixteen-year-old Renley needs three thousand dollars for the math club’s trip to New York City, and she knows exactly how to get it: she’s going to start a how-to blog where people pay for answers to all of life’s questions from a “certified expert.” The only ... read more
Soulstruck

Natasha Sinel

Seventeen-year-old Rachel Ferguson is trying to get struck by lightning. Hopefully it will lead to finding her soul mate, like it did for her mother. And then maybe her mom will be as devoted to her as she is to her lightning strike survivors group.When Rachel... read more
Antipodes

Michele Bacon

When Erin Cerise steps off her plane in Christchurch, New Zealand, she’s determined to overcome her losses of swim team captainship, her boyfriend Ben, and her reputation. Her mother is certain studying abroad will regain Erin’s chances of a good future. Once ... read more
Lucy Loves Sherman

Catherine Bailey

Girl meets lobster. Girl loves lobster. But can girl save lobster? That’s the question at the center of this sweet and sassy picture book about Lucy, her shell-y friend Sherman, and the seafood-loving town they inhabit. Lucy loves Sherman from the moment they ... read more
Groggle has been up all night making a Valentine’s Day card. This isn’t just any Valentine, though, and it has to be perfect—it’s for Snarlina, his beast friend in the whole wide world. Searching in the dark forest, he finds just the right heart-shaped leaves.... read more
A finalist for the 2015 LAMBDA Literary Award.What if you weren’t sexually attracted to anyone?A growing number of people are identifying as asexual. They aren’t sexually attracted to anyone, and they consider it a sexual orientation—like gay, straight, or bis... read more
I came to in the middle of it, like waking inside a horror movie, silent scream and all. Eyes wide open. I was standing at an open window, staring at the dizzying curve of Riverside Drive, five floors below. I’d stopped, somehow, poised, about to jump.Growing ... read more
“A propulsively well-written trio of novellas linked by a sense of loss and an inquiry into the impossible past.” —Kate Christensen In his three novellas, “In Short Measures,” “Strong Conspirators,” and “Sally Forth,” Michael Ruhlman delves deeply into the nua... read more
An inspiring story about determination, bullying, and the invisible hands that brought a man and dog together to overcome their dark legacies. While hiking on a solo vacation in a remote, uninhabitable region of Arizona, Zachary Anderegg happened upon Riley, a... read more

Nicole has 43 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Melissa M.

Melissa M.

Dec, 2023

This is my second time working with Nicole and I am just as pleased as I was the first time! Her editorial assessments are thorough and she offers great feedback to better prepare your project for whatever next step you wish to take (for me that is traditional publishing). Her recommendations have absolutely improved my manuscript, I highly recommend her!
Nicole F.
Thank you so much! I have enjoyed working with your manuscript (twice now!).
Maria A.

Maria A.

Nov, 2023

Nicole is knowledgeable , professional and responsive. I highly recommend.
Nicole F.
Thank you, Maria!
Lauren F.

Lauren F.

Sep, 2023

Nicole was very professional and a pleasure to work with!
Nicole F.
Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Melissa M.

Melissa M.

Apr, 2023

Nicole was an absolute pleasure to work with! Her assessment was incredibly thoughtful and helpful; I could tell that she took great care while performing it. I had worked with another editor before Nicole whose suggestions would have totally changed my story and it wouldn't have felt like my own anymore. Nicole, on the other hand, provided feedback that aimed to improve my work, not alter it! ...
Read more
Nicole F.
I can't wait to see what you do with the next draft, Melissa!
Debby Q.

Debby Q.

Feb, 2023

Nicole's work was fantastic. She was thorough and precise and gave me great feedback. She was also done earlier than I expected. As a first time author, it was wonderful to have an editor who communicated well, and explained the process to me. 100% would recommend her to anyone.
Nicole F.
Thank you, Debby! Best of luck with this series!!

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