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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If a writing fairy popped out of an old typewriter and granted me the ability to fix one craft problem in all the unpublished manuscripts across the realm I would probably terrify it by how quickly I'd shout, "PERSPECTIVES!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:

Amazon bricks old Kindles (This week in books)

May 1, 2026 by Nathan Bransford Leave a Comment

This week! Books! I’m between trips at the moment and popping up with a few links that caught my eye while I was away. Please keep reaching out if you need editing, and my blog will properly return at the end of this month! For the first time ever, Amazon is cutting old Kindles off […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Alvina Ling, Amazon, Andrew Cunningham, Bookshop.org, Charlie Jane Anders, Daniel Engber, Ed Nawotka, Frazier Tharpe, Jay-Z, Kate McKean, Keith Roysdon, Kenneth Whyte, Kevin Lincoln, Laura B. McGrath, Maddie Connors, Maia Snow, Sandy Ernest Allen, Shannon Maughan, Stephen King, TikTok

Reach out to me for editing! (This week in books)

April 3, 2026 by Nathan Bransford 2 Comments

This will be the last post for about a month, as I’m getting married to my lovely partner next week and taking a bit of time off. But! I am still available for editing, and am currently booking full manuscript edits starting in mid-May. I typically book slots two to three months out, so I’d […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: A.I., Bookstores, Emma Kantor, Jane Friedman, Jesse Barron, Kelsey Rexroat, Lincoln Michel, Macmillan

Beware the anti-A.I. stampede (This week in books)

March 27, 2026 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books! Let’s start with some “A.I. getting chopped down to size” news. OpenAI Is Shutting Down Sora, Its A.I. Video Generator – Cade Metz, New York Times / Disney Exits OpenAI Deal After AI Giant Shutters Sora – Alex Werpin, The Hollywood Reporters – OpenAI’s foray into an A.I.-generated, copyright-nightmarish social media network […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books

Publishers are unprepared for A.I. fiction (This week in books)

March 20, 2026 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books! First, a quick programming note, prompted by a personal note. I’m getting married in April, and, as you can imagine, things are a bit hectic! Posting may be a bit sporadic for the rest of March, and then I’m planning to take an extended break from April through mid-May. But! I’m still […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: A.I., Alexandra Alter, Alexis Soloski, Alia Hanna Habib, Colleen Hoover, Katy Hershberger, Lauren Hamlin, Paul C. Rosier, Sam Spratford, Sonja Anderson, Tracy Wolff, Unions

The bestseller who made $49,000 last year (This week in books)

March 13, 2026 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books! What Do You Do and What Do You Make? – New York Magazine – This fascinating snapshot of how much money various people in NYC make sent many tongues wagging, particularly the New York Times bestselling author with 800,000+ Instagram followers, who made $49,000 last year, roughly the same amount as a […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Alexandra Alter, Casey Newton, Chang Che, Grammarly, Greg Greeley, James Patterson, Jim Milliot, Kate McKean, Miles Klee, Mr. Beast, publishing industry, Simon & Schuster, Vauhini Vara, Walter Marsh

When to get feedback on a novel

March 9, 2026 by Nathan Bransford

Getting good feedback on a novel is absolutely crucial to its ultimate success. We all have writing blind spots, it’s tricky to know what is and isn’t on the page, and we need to hear reactions from other people in order to improve the writing and storytelling. Every writer should get feedback prior to submitting […]

Filed Under: Writing Advice

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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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