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Welcome to my blog!

My blog has everything you need to know to write, edit, and publish a book. Can't find what you need or want personalized help? Check out my editing and coaching services.

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Check out a few of my most popular posts:

How to write a query letter

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How to write a query letter

April 4, 2018

In order to have a book published by a traditional publisher, you will likely need to know how to write a query letter to find a literary agent. A query letter is part business letter, part creative writing exercise, part introduction, part death defying leap through a flaming hoop. (Don't worry, you won't catch fire and die during the query…

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The publishing process in GIF form

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The publishing process in GIF form

August 27, 2012

At first you're thinking of writing a novel and you're all... But then you have an idea! And you go... But then you hit page 50 and you're all.... And then you hit page 75 and you're all... But you power through!!   And then you're finished!!! You have finished a novel!! Only then find out you have to start…

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How to write a novel

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How to write a novel

June 21, 2019

Let me preface this article on how to write a novel by saying that my book on the topic has all the best advice I know: How to Write a Novel: 49 Rules for Writing a Stupendously Awesome Novel That You Will Love Forever. And if you need personalized help: Reach out for coaching or editing! How to write a novel.…

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Third person omniscient vs. limited vs. head jumping

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Third person omniscient vs. limited vs. head jumping

August 24, 2020

If a writing fairy popped out of an old typewriter and granted me the ability to fix one craft problem in all the unpublished manuscripts across the realm I would probably terrify it by how quickly I'd shout, "PERSPECTIVES! For the love of Melville fix the broken perspectives!!" You probably know there are three main perspectives to choose from in…

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Everything writers need to know about pitching their book

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Everything writers need to know about pitching their book

May 7, 2018

Like it or not, pitching your book is one of the most important things you'll do as an author. If you're trying to find a literary agent, you'll need to write a query letter. If you're self-publishing, you'll need to write good jacket copy (or at least know what good jacket copy looks like). When you're telling acquaintances what your…

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How to find a literary agent

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How to find a literary agent

March 20, 2018

If you want to have your book published by a publisher, chances are you are going to need an agent. Here's how to find a literary agent. Welcome to publishing, the land of books, writing, and agonizingly long waits. Pour yourself a drink. You're going to need it. In this post I'm going to give you an overview of how…

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Everything you need to know about novel word counts

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Everything you need to know about novel word counts

April 23, 2018

Ah, word count. Few elements of the book-writing process inspire such hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing as trying to constrain your novel within certain seemingly arbitrary bounds. In this post I'm going to tell you: Why word count matters for novelsStandard word count ranges for various genresThe word counts of some famous novels for comparison But before I do that, let me…

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Most recent posts:

Bloomsbury on the rise (This week in books)

June 13, 2025 by Nathan Bransford Leave a Comment

This week! Books! Some things are bigger than books and writing, and this feels like one of those weeks. The photos and videos out of the Los Angeles area are lurid and unsettling, no matter your political vantage point, and I guess that’s kind of the point in our eyeballs-are-money-and-power era. Even a mile away […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Ben Sisario, Bloomsbury, Brian Wilson, Claire Kirch, Clay Risen, Ellen Oh, Frederick Forsyth, Julia F Christensen, Kate McKean, Sarah Landenwich, Sophia Stewart, We Need Diverse Books, Yarimar Bonilla

Think more about whether you like a prospective agent than whether the agent will like you

June 9, 2025 by Nathan Bransford 7 Comments

Researching literary agents is an absolutely crucial step in the traditional publishing process, and I personally believe there are no good shortcuts. You’re essentially searching for a (hopefully) long term business partner who will have enormous influence over your burgeoning literary career. A good agent can help you immensely. A bad agent is worse than […]

Filed Under: Literary Agents

An Unbound mess (This week in books)

June 6, 2025 by Nathan Bransford Leave a Comment

This week! Books! I’m experimenting with a new hybrid format with the links with titles, publications, and commentary when applicable. Let me know what you think! After Unbound’s Collapse, Boundless Faces Uphill Battle to Rebuild Trust – Ed Nawotka, Publishers Weekly / Unbound/Boundless Co-Founder Apologizes After Resignation – Katy Hershberger, Publishers Lunch – After Unbound […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Alia Hanna Habib, Anna Diamond, Anna Louie Sussman, Audiobooks, Ed Nawotka, Elisabeth Egan, Erin Bowman, Jim Milliot, Kathleen Schmidt, Katy Hershberger, Mark O'Connell, Mr. Beast, Romantasy, Tom Comitta, Tyler Austin Harper

Your protagonist’s plans are useful, especially when they don’t pan out

June 2, 2025 by Nathan Bransford 2 Comments

When I’m editing novels, one of my most common margin notes–particularly at the start of scenes–is “What’s the plan here?” Providing the reader with insight into a character’s plans is an incredibly powerful storytelling technique. Plans build anticipation and suspense. They give the reader a sense of what’s at stake if the character succeeds or […]

Filed Under: Writing Advice

A devastating censorship ruling (This week in books)

May 30, 2025 by Nathan Bransford 2 Comments

The last few weeks! Books! I’m back! Though I’m quite busy catching up, and extraordinarily jet-lagged. Today’s collection of links will be presented mainly in list format, but there are lots of good ones. Enjoy! Appeals Court Reverses Ruling in Texas Book Ban Case – Nathalie op de Beeck, Publishers Weekly – An extremely disappointing […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Amelia Nierenberg, Benjamin Davis, Chanda A. Bell, Charlie Warzel, Damon Beres, Drew Broussard, James D. Walsh, Kate McKean, Kazuo Ishiguro, Ken Whyte, Kyle Chayka, Leigh Stein, Lincoln Michel, Lucy Feldman, Michiko Kakutani, Nathalie op de Beeck, Pulitzer Prize, Sam Spratford, Sarah Chauncey, Sophia Stewart, Taylor Lorenz, Victor Tangermann

The messy copyright implications of A.I. slop (This week in books)

May 2, 2025 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books! First up, I’m going to be taking a blog break for the rest of May to recharge and do some traveling. I’m still very much open for business for manuscript edits, query/synopsis critiques, and consultations, so please feel free to reach out to me about that in the meantime. On to the […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: A.I., Holly Gramazio, Marc Andreesen, Meta, Taylor Lorenz

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About Nathan

Hi, I’m Nathan. I’m the author of How to Write a Novel and the Jacob Wonderbar series, which was published by Penguin. I used to be a literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. and I’m dedicated to helping authors achieve their dreams. Let me help you with your book!

My blog has everything you need to know to write, edit, and publish a book. Can’t find what you need or want personalized help? Reach out.

Learn more about me

Need Editing?

I'm available for consultations, edits, query critiques, brainstorming, and more.
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My Books

How to Write A Novel
Cover of How to Publish a Book by Nathan Bransford
Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapo
Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe
Jacob Wonderbar and the Interstellar Time Warp

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