Rachel Diebel, Editor at Macmillan

Rachel Diebel is an editor at Feiwel & Friends (an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group), acquiring middle grade, young adult, and graphic novels. Throughout her career, she has worked on multiple New York Times bestsellers, as well as celebrity projects including books by Lili Reinhart, Jimmy Fallon, and the forthcoming Natalie Portman’s Fables. Though she now calls Brooklyn home, her heart will always be in the Pacific Northwest, where she grew up.

Broadly, across all categories, Rachel is looking for commercial fiction with a unique voice, a great hook, and unforgettable characters. She is always looking for projects from marginalized voices and has a particular soft spot for stories of found families. She loves both YA and middle grade graphic novels with colorful, commercial art styles.

Member Reviews of Rachel

Rachel worked on a revision of a previous manuscript review she did with me and she was SO incredibly helpful! Her feedback is very specific and she was very encouraging! I highly recommend her!

Elisabeth Aikins

Honest Insights and Encouragement

In our ten minute chat, Rachel was warm, welcoming and generous with her time. She showed enthusiasm for my project while conveying some of the harsh realities of the publishing industry. She answered all my question and gave great suggestions for my query. My thanks to Rachel and The Manuscript Academy team!

Yolanda Ridge

Gives Actionable Suggestions for Stronger Openings

Rachel is awesome. She provided me with bite size actionable suggestions that made my opening chapter so much better. So helpful!

Rick Tyson

Offers Thoughtful Editorial Feedback

Rachel Diebel, an editor at Feiwell & Friends/MacMillan, offered feedback on my query and first ten pages. She was thoughtful and thorough, her critique incisive, and really easy to talk with.

Mary Farrell

Rachel provided a wonderful critique on my opening pages. With both large picture and line level feedback, I was able to sharpen my opening scene. Her editor eye was able to really focus on details to help me get this project query-ready.

Kerry Chaput

She showed enthusiasm for my project while conveying some of the harsh realities of the publishing industry.

Yolanda Ridge

Provides Clear Manuscript Improvements

I was so impressed with Rachel’s feedback! She told me what worked, what didn’t, and gave me specifics as to what I could do to make my manuscript better. I really appreciated her help!

Elisabeth Aikins

Guidance for Aspiring Author

My consultation with Rachel was just what I need at the moment – direct feedback from an experienced industry professional. To date, my writing has been a creative brain to paper exercise, which has been rewarding. Rachel’s review of my first ten pages, and subsequent consultation, provided me with guidance on structure, and the show don’t tell writing style that I have been eagerly searching for. I hope some day to be an accomplished author of MG novels. Even then, I am sure that I would still learn a lot from Rachel.

Rick Tyson

Work with Rachel

LIVE Meetings: Meet face-to-face, from home. Choose Zoom, Google Meet, or phone, and speak for the appointed time about your query, first page, and/or first ten pages (for longer meetings). Does not include written notes, but is a chance to have an honest discussion about your work, and to ask follow-up questions. International meetings welcomed.

HYBRID is a live meeting at the appointment time, with written notes.

WRITTEN Critiques: Get detailed, thoughtful notes on your work. Comes with large-scale edits (character, world, plot, tension, concept, conflict, and similar as needed) in an editorial letter and small-scale, line-by-line notes as needed (for longer critiques, an average of three per page). Work arrives in your inbox within 24 hours of thedate on the calendar.