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.

Has A.I. killed prescriptive nonfiction? (This week in books)

This week! Books! Has AI Already Killed How-To Nonfiction? Sales Trends, My Personal Data, and What It Might Mean for the Future - Tim Ferriss - Is A.I. already killing how-to nonfiction? The 4-Hour Workweek author Timothy Ferriss has experienced dramatically lower book sales in the past few years and sees prescriptive nonfiction as a canary in the coal mine…

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Don't over-engineer how the reader "hears" your words

The best books are ones that disappear in our hands. When we're reading a novel we love, we enter a fugue state and can't turn the pages fast enough. The outside world disappears, and we get lost in lands we would never otherwise explore. But we can't get into that flow if the hand of the author is too apparent.…

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Audio sales reached $2.43 billion in 2025 (This week in books)

This week! Books! U.S. Audiobook Sales Grew 9% in 2025, to $2.43 Billion - Ed Nawotka, Publishers Weekly - The audiobook boom continued apace in 2025, including in the children's book world. And no, in case you're wondering, listening to an audiobook is still not reading. (Let's start this roundup off with some spice!) Call My Agent - Michael Gorra,…

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The best strategy for sending query letters

Once you’ve written a fantastic query letter, researched literary agents, and compiled a ranked list of reputable agents who specialize in your genre: it’s go time, baby. Here's my best strategy for sending out query letters. I also offer online classes with exclusive resources about finding and working with literary agents that you can take at your leisure. They will help you…

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Are people talking about books again? (This week in books)

This week! Books! We're easing into summer, typically a quieter time in publishing, but I found some links for you. The Rise of Ragebait Lit - Maris Kreizman, Harper's Bazaar - Are people talking about books again?? Gulliver’s Warning - Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books - Happy three hundredth birthday to Jonathan Swift's wildly inventive novel channeling…

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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