“Melissa Frain is a creative and thorough editor. Her feedback is invaluable, always allowing me to take a step back and look at the novel with fresh eyes and perspective. I trust my novels in her hands.”

“Melissa Frain was my editor for my debut novel, ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD. I had no idea what I was doing, or what was happening, or what to expect, but looking back, it all seems to have gone smoothly, and that is because of her. Editorially, Mel has an expert sense of story and character; I can’t recall any of her notes that didn’t resonate, or advice I didn’t take. Professionally, she is timely and communicative. And personally, I will always consider her a friend. We worked on a total of five novels and two short stories together, and I hope one day to work on more. I really can’t recommend her highly enough.”

“Through revision, I want to make my books better. I want someone to be able to see my world with the same wonder and enthusiasm I can. Melissa has a gift for connecting with stories and making them the best they can be. She knows how to draw out the strengths of every character and plot line until they shine. I like my books when I turn them in to Melissa. I love them after we work on them together.”

“Melissa is one of the best editors I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with—and I’ve worked with many! She provided helpful, well-rounded feedback, and was always available to brainstorm solutions to problems I had with my manuscripts. Her editorial comments were a perfect balance of critique and praise, and her sense of humor made me look forward to going through her feedback. I’m very much looking forward to working again with her in the future.”

“Melissa took over as my editor at a time in my life when everything was in upheaval, and I was dealing with dramatic health issues. From the very beginning, Melissa was willing to adapt to my needs, and she was incredibly flexible as I tried to find my writing groove in the midst of all my chaos. Her enthusiasm for my books was a godsend because I was so frustrated that it was often hard to muster any of my own. Melissa really understood my characters and the world, and she worked hard to help me tell the story I wanted to tell despite all the distractions. With tons of experience and a fun, compassionate personality, Melissa is a perfect editor for authors in any stage of their career.”

“Working with Melissa was an absolute joy. She gave me honest, insightful feedback while still honoring my creative vision. I always felt she was on my team. Perhaps best of all, she helped me remember that there’s fun to be found within the hard work of revising and polishing a manuscript. I don’t know what else you could ask for in an editor. ”

“Melissa is unfailingly kind and encouraging as an editor, while simultaneously getting to the heart of what a book needs to make it shine. We worked on six books and two short stories together, and every time she understood what I was trying to do, and helped me make each project into the best version of itself. Basically, Melissa’s editorial letters always made me excited to dive into revisions - I can’t speak more highly than that!”

“Melissa’s editing talents are unique for their range and clarity—she sees the big picture but doesn’t miss a single comma splice. With humor and heart, Melissa digs into the world you’ve created and makes every detail brighter with spot-on suggestions that always keep the author’s vision in mind. I would recommend her to any author looking to make their story better from the most macro to micro level. She really can do it all!”

“Working with Melissa Frain was an honor and a joy. She is a fantastic editor with a keen eye that helped take my manuscripts to the next level. And her comments are my favorite! She’s thoughtful, insightful, and spot on. I highly recommend her as an editor! ”

“Melissa is everything you want in an editor: insightful, encouraging, and expert in both the broad, foundational aspects and the more minor facets of storytelling. She took my writing to the next level, and I’m forever grateful. If you’re searching for someone to help you do the same, I really can’t recommend her enough!”

“Everyone should have an editor like Melissa! She’s absolutely brilliant and a true pleasure to work with. I hired her in 2018 for a development edit and was impressed by how respectful she was of my voice—my story. Her tone was inquisitive, curious, and positive. Though she provided extensive feedback on structure, storyline, character development and language, she never came across as critical or judgmental. She asked the right questions, questions that forced me to really think about the choices I had made and to deepen my backstory. I also really appreciated how clear and concrete her suggestions were, and the fact that she always made herself available to talk through any questions that I had. We’re already on our second collaboration, and I hope to work with her again on the third book next year.”

“Writing is a funny occupation. When you work with an editor, you are in effect saying, “Here’s a little piece of me that I’ve carved off my soul. Please help me shape it into something readers will see the way I want them to see it.” It takes trust to do that. Trust that the editor will work within your vision, and trust that they have the experience and skill to help you achieve your goals. Melissa Frain, through all four of the Ciel Halligan books she edited for me at Tor, never once betrayed that trust. Her insights and instincts, and, yes, even her criticisms, were always spot on. Plus, she’s one heck of a typo spotter. I would work with her again in a heartbeat, despite her unnatural aversion to bananas. (Note to Mel: You can edit out the bit about the bananas if you like. As always, I trust your judgment.)”

“Melissa Frain is an intellectual, kind, and generous editor, willing to share her brilliant insights in a way that’s clear, constructive, and always professional. With her encouraging feedback, Mel makes it a delight to revise your story into its best possible form.”

“Melissa has the rare talent of recognizing the heart of a story and this is reflected in her nuanced and detailed critiques. She honors each novel’s unique vision and gives editorial direction to help preserve it. She’s an expert in character depth and in getting desires and motivations to come alive on the page. Melissa edits with excitement, precision, and humor. It was both fun and rewarding to work with her!”