A PERSONAL TRAINER FOR YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Stuck? Lost? Was the idea crystal clear at 3am and now it’s not working?

Don’t panic! This is all part of the process. Even the most successful authors stop at least once every book to ask: wait—is this terrible? Believe me.

Because I’m not your average freelance editor or writing coach— I’m a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author with over 6 million copies of my own books in print and 25 years experience in the publishing and entertainment industries and I know how nerve-wracking every step of this process can be.

Which is why, in addition to sharing my insider experience, marketing savvy, agent and editor relationships, I’m also here to make you feel less alone in the struggle.

Whether you're writing a novel or America's next non-fiction blockbuster, from conception to publication I will be there to support you every step of the way. These are just some of the books I’ve helped midwife onto the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists…

Non-Fiction Proposals

In today’s marketplace a non-fiction book deal boils down to one factor: the publisher’s ability to count on an eager audience for your book. 

Your proposal is a 50-page marketing document to sell you and the strength of your platform.

Wait, my what now? 

Your platform testifies to your ability to bring a ready-built readership.  It encompasses everything from your followers across platforms to the memberships and professional associations that might offer endorsements and speaking engagements.

Don't have one? Don’t panic.

From articulating the freshest take on your brand to mapping out your social media strategy to garnering endorsements I'll make sure you’re the complete polished package before you go to market. 

And it works. The proposals I’ve created have landed my clients the biggest agents in the industry and six-figure publishing deals. 

You’ve put so much into your book, now do what needs to be done to optimally position it -- and yourself.

Coaching

We all imagine that when we finally sit down to write the Great American Something, the words will just come pouring out of us.  When they don’t we think, “I must not be a writer.” 

I’m sorry to report that it simply doesn’t work that way. Even Tony Kushner wants to give up at least once a day. 

You’ve got something you have to say. You’re ready to say it. You just don’t know a) where to start or b) how to make the time. That’s where I come in. I’ll climb in there with you, help you create a structure you’re excited about, and a schedule you can stick to, even if you’re fitting this in around running a company or raising a family.

You don't need an MFA, you need a MGD, a Master at Getting this Done. 

How I Work

Whether you’re on the third draft of a manuscript that still hasn’t gelled, nagged by the seed of an idea, or ready to create a written platform for your expertise, I’ll start with a consultation to learn what you’ve been bumping up against, give you tools for moving past it, and, based on the material or concept you’ve shared, give you my editorial vision to help you establish how far from completion you are.  
 
Based on that meeting, if we both choose to move forward, in addition to consistent editorial support (from outlining to punctuation), I’ll create a custom game plan for you with a realistic, stress-free calendar of deliverables.  Then I’ll work with you, week in, week out, to keep you energized and on track.  You don’t have time to waste. Trust that each opportunity you have to sit down and write, you’re moving your book toward the finish line.  

  • Nicola was, quite simply, a dream collaborator. As an academic, I came to the project with deep expertise but a traditional scholarly writing style. Nicola helped me transform that into something accessible, engaging, and compelling for a broad audience without ever losing the integrity of the science. She has an exceptional ability to understand voice, and by the end of the process it genuinely felt like we shared a brain. Her intelligence, instinct for storytelling, and remarkable writing talent elevated every page. The book is immeasurably stronger because of her, and I am deeply grateful for her contribution.

    —Dr. Nicole McNichols

  • Nicola, your partnership in the creation of this work has been unparalleled. I’m so glad I brought you on as my writing coach. What we have created here, thanks to you, is exactly, precisely, what I’d hoped it would be. Thank you for your endless grace, service, wit, optimism, and wise counsel. You are a dream.

    —Susan Pierce Thompson, PhD and Founder of Bright Line Eating

  • As excited as I was when I sold the proposal to write my first book, I was also completely overwhelmed.  This was uncharted waters for me and Nicola became my lighthouse, buoy and — at times — lifejacket!!  Her patience, work ethic and sense of humor is a rare combination that carried me through the whole process.  If you are lucky enough to work with her, you and your book will be better for it.  

    —Tracy McCubbin, author and CEO of DeClutterfly

  • The first person, outside of my family, who told me that I should definitely write The Fight for Free Speech was Nicola. Her enthusiastic encouragement, wise counsel, and pragmatic guidance enabled me to make this dream a reality. My advice to would-be writers everywhere is to talk to Nicola and follow her advice to the letter, you won’t regret it. 

    -Ian Rosenberg, author, law professor, and 1st Amendment expert

  • I hired Nicola to do a developmental edit on my manuscript for The Subway Girls before I started querying agents. Her comments were astute, insightful, and constructive. Not only did that manuscript land me a wonderful agent, but The Subway Girls was sold to St. Martin’s Press in a two-book deal. I truly enjoyed and benefited from working with Nicola and have recommended her whenever the opportunity has arisen (and I will continue to do so). Her experience in the publishing industry and her keen knowledge of what makes a book work can absolutely help authors in any stage of their process.

    -Susie Orman Schall

  • We couldn't have come close to creating the book we finally produced without the expertise, guidance and rigor that Nicola brought to the process. When we felt the task was overwhelming, she made it feasible and fun. Creating a book is a far bigger undertaking than most people realize. We were grateful at each developmental stage to have such a patient and thoughtful guide. Nicola nurtured our work and made it better so that every reader will benefit as a result.

    -Michael Baldwin. author and Founder of Michael Baldwin Inc

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