Nathan Bransford | Writing, Book Editing, Publishing

Helping authors achieve their dreams

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Helping authors achieve their dreams.

I'm Nathan Bransford, author, editor, and former literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. I'm dedicated to helping authors find their voice, hone their craft, and pursue successful publication.

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Book Editing You Can Trust

I've been in your shoes.

As a published author and former literary agent who has worked with NY Times bestselling authors, I bring a unique perspective to the book editing process, combining insider industry experience with an author's sympathetic ear.

My services include

Manuscript editing & critiques
Query critiques
Social media & marketing consulting
Coaching on navigating the publishing process
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A few authors I've worked with...
Shadowshaper
by Daniel José Older,
a NY Times bestseller
Rock Paper Tiger
by Lisa Brackermann,
one of Amazon's top 100 novels of the year
Try Not To Breathe
by Jennifer Hubbard,
received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Kirkus
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Recent Posts

My blog is a free resource for everything you need to know how to write, edit, and publish a book.

Finding the courage to leap

Last week I talked about the importance of recognizing the "life scripts" we're surrounded by as a crucial first step toward ditching the script to chart your own path. If you want to live creatively, you have to step off the ledge into the unknown. About that stepping off part... It's not just that it's terrifying. Sure, it's scary to…

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WNDB launches new initiative to fight censorship (This week in books)

This week! Books! The fantastic organization We Need Diverse Books has launched a new initiative to combat censorship called Books Saves Lives. Claire Kirch at Publishers Weekly has some background on the new program, and I hope you'll consider donating! Who was the world's first author? Over 4,000 years ago, a priestess in what is now Iraq wrote a narrative…

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Focus your query (query critique)

If you’d like to nominate your own page or query for a public critique, kindly post them here in the discussion forums: Nominate Your First Page for a Critique on the BlogNominate Your Query for a Critique on the Blog Also, if you’d like to test your editing chops, keep your eye on this area or this area! I’ll post the pages and…

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14th annual Heifer fundraiser!

It's #GivingTuesday today, and this year, I hope you’ll join my annual push to support Heifer International, an organization devoted to fighting hunger. As hunger surges around the world with rising inflation and the war in Ukraine, their work is as important as ever. Here’s how to participate: If you’re able, please visit my fundraising page and make a donation!Please spread the word…

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Stepping off the script in life

“If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on somebody else’s path.” - Joseph Campbell Whenever you go through a difficult life event--a loved one passing away, a divorce, getting fired or laid off--you quickly feel the inadequacy of the "script" that people follow in fraught social situations. Someone finds out your loved one passed? You get a rote…

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My Books

Check out my guides to navigating the writing and publishing process!

How to Write a Novel

The most important thing to know about writing a novel is this: you can do it. Here's How

How to Publish a Book

Ready to pursue a book deal with a Big 5 publisher or try self-publishing? Get Started

I'm also the author of the Jacob Wonderbar novels, a space adventure series for middle-grade readers.

Jacob Wonderbar Cosmic Space Kapow Jacob Wonderbar For President Jacob Wonderbar and Interstellar Time
About My Books

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