Becoming a published author takes a team.

Do you have the seed of an idea for a children’s book? Are you wondering what the next step is for your manuscript? Does your story need a big picture edit or polish to be ready for submission? Catherine Frank Editorial Services, LLC specializes in children’s writing and publishing and offers personalized editorial expertise.

Hello, I’m Catherine.

I spent more than a decade at Viking, rising through the ranks to become Executive Editor. After eleven years working in Manhattan, the time was right to return home to New Orleans with my family. I established Catherine Frank Editorial Services in the spring of 2011 with the goal of continuing to do the work that I love.

As the editor of award-winning fiction and nonfiction children’s books ranging in format from board books to novelties and picture books to young adult fiction, I have a broad editorial perspective. Books acquired and edited by me have received honors including: nomination for the National Book Award; The Boston Globe Horn Book Award, the Golden Kite Award, the Charlotte Zolotow Award, the New York Times Best Illustrated Award, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

Through Catherine Frank Editorial Services I work with authors, agents, packagers, and publishers large and small. I edit picture book texts, chapter books, nonfiction books for older readers, and middle grade and YA novels. I’m a member of the SCBWI.

In conjunction with my freelance editorial work, in 2020 I joined Peachtree Publishing as an editor at large, acquiring and editing a limited number of projects. For more information, please visit www.peachtree-online.com.

Catherine Frank Editorial Services, LLC, can offer guidance, editorial feedback, and serve as a general liaison between you and the sometimes confusing world of children’s publishing. I can help you turn the dream of just wanting to be published into a reality.

Portfolio

My editorial experience runs the gamut from photographic, award-winning nonfiction to highly commercial, older YA and everything in between. This is a sample of the published books and projects I have recently worked on as a freelance editor (click on a book jacket to learn more).

Making Plans for Nigel Binty

Making Plans for Nigel Binty By Shawn K. Stout ★ “Nigel and Milo were best friends until sixth grade rolled around and Milo became one of the cool kids. Now Nigel is facing middle school alone and dealing with his parents’ divorce, neither of which is helping his grades or his anxiety. Midyear, Glory Bea transfers to Nigel’s school after being forced to leave her home when her father, a local reverend, was sent to jail for stealing money from the church. Told largely in the third person from Nigel’s perspective, the book is interspersed with first-person chapters from Glory…

The Sweet Spot

The Sweet Spot By Elaine Vickers ★ “Twelve-year-old William Henry Roberts III—known as Trip—faces bumps on the road to winning his last Little League championship. Trip’s baseball roots run deep: His dad’s team won the Little League championship when he was 12, and Grandpa was a minor-league ballplayer. Trip is well aware of the family legacy of baseball, but he feels the heavy expectation to achieve and struggles to carve out a legacy of his own. After his father, who’s a Marine, is deployed overseas, Trip shoulders responsibilities on the field as captain and at home, where Dad tells him…

How the Ghost Army Hoodwinked Hitler

How the Ghost Army Hoodwinked Hitler By Rebecca Siegel ★ “Gripping historical exploration. . . . a necessary volume that showcases the incredible effort and tactical diversity it took to turn the tide of the war.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review “Delving into a unique element of WWII, this book will be well received by students, teachers, and anyone interested in military strategy.”—School Library Journal “Lively and thoroughly researched.”—Kirkus Reviews

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Editorial Expertise

With more than twenty years of experience in children’s publishing—including over a decade in the trenches at a Big Five publisher—I know the ins and outs of how to craft a query letter, how to find the right agent, and, most importantly, how to develop a manuscript and help a writer create the best possible version of a story. And sometimes my four-legged editorial assistant even helps!

Services

Here are the details about my available editorial services. Please get in touch with questions, or if you’re looking for something specific that might not be mentioned below. I’m happy to tailor my work to suit your needs, whether you’re an author, illustrator, publisher, or agent.

Authors

Comprehensive author services, including free initial manuscript reviews and in-depth editing.

Illustrators

Author services from manuscript review to developmental editing.

Publishers

Editing, adaptation, and consultation for authors.

Agents

Manuscript review and consultation.

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My favorite part of the editorial process is diving into a manuscript, seeing where it takes me, and envisioning how that journey could be strengthened. I can help deepen characters, focus plots, and improve a story’s pacing, whether it’s a 100-word picture book text or a YA narrative nonfiction manuscript.

Reviews

To be edited by Catherine is to know publishing at its best.

Ann Bausum

Author

Her notes are pointed, but gentle. When I disagreed with or didn’t understand an editorial note, her guidance was respectful.

Jan Carr

Author

She has a knack for zeroing in on the heart of a story—that combination of emotional engagement, suspense, and satisfaction that keep readers turning pages.

Sarah L. Thomson

Author

She took a manuscript that I thought was pretty good, and transformed it into something so much better.

Rebecca Siegel

Author

I’m convinced that she knows book-magic.

Shawn K. Stout

Author

As a professional, she sees both the forest and the trees of a story in ways that bring all the pieces together.

Elaine Vickers

Author

She helped me keep track of the many strands of my story. She encouraged me when I got discouraged.

Ann Dee Ellis

Author

Before we were introduced, Catherine was described to us as a “world-class editor.” After working with her, we whole-heartedly agree.

Patti Wheeler and Keith Hemstreet

Author

Catherine is experienced, intelligent, and encouraging—a perfect combination for a children’s book editor. Her one-on-one workshop sessions have been invaluable

Whitney Stewart

Author

Catherine pushed me to explore aspects of my novel I hadn’t considered. But while pushing, she was never “pushy”—she was exceedingly pleasant to work with!

Ginger Rue

Author

I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to work with Catherine. Her insight, her patience, and her willingness to bring clarity to my writing was amazing

William Meyer

Author

Catherine advertises her editing expertise, but she is really a coach. She maximized my strengths and helped me identify and tighten the weaknesses in my writing.

Heidi King

Author

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