Writing since the age of 12, Nell had her first play, Dead Mans Alley, performed at the Nimrod Theatre, Sydney, a second play, The Blind Forty, performed at the Seymour Centre. She has been the recipient of a Master Writers Grant, from the Australia Council. She has written several other plays for youth theatres and schools, as part of her role as a drama teacher and director in those organisations. Nell has published many works over the years, including Jack and Lily, a chronicle of short war stories and poetry. Nell's novel, The Lost Sister of Groningen, was launched at the Tap Gallery in Sydney in 2010 and at the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, 2011. Nell's poetry volume, The Sky Is My Religion was launched in Ubud in 2012 with support of the UWRF and was opened by Australian writer Libby Hathorn. Nell has degrees in education, and in 2018 her second novel, A Token For Perry was launched by Libby Hathorn in 371Gallery, Sydney in 2018.