Nathan Bransford | Writing, Book Editing, Publishing

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If a writing fairy popped out of an old typewriter and granted me the ability to fix one craft problem in all the unpublished manuscripts across the realm I would probably terrify it by how quickly I'd shout, "PERSPECTIVES!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

We Need Diverse Books launches Unbanned Book Network (This week in books)

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This week! Books! We Need Diverse Books launches Unbanned Book Network to fight school bans – Hillel Italie, Associated Press – The wonderful organization We Need Diverse Books has launched a program to counteract the recent wave of book bans by donating banned books, and designating Author Ambassadors for school districts facing bans. The deal […]

The chill over the publishing world (This week in books)

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This week! Books! Trump’s return chills embattled LGBTQ book industry: ‘They’re stepping back’ – Surina Venkat, The Hill / What if Editors Don’t Want <Your Kind of Book> Anymore? – Kate McKean, Agents + Books – We’ve long suspected that book bans and censorship have cast a chill over the publishing world, particularly on the […]

How often to follow up with a literary agent

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Contrary to popular belief among some fearful authors, literary agents will not disappear into an angry puff of smoke the moment you send them a follow-up email. And, in fact, some literary agents depend on authors to nudge them. An agent’s inbox looks like the electronic equivalent of Niagara Falls, and at any given time […]

Tips for getting your creativity on track

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At the start of 2025, I posted some un-producivity tips on slowing down and embracing fallow periods that may be crucial for your creativity. Joke was on me! Little did I know 2025 would be one of the busiest years of my life. I’m stumbling rather than sprinting into 2026. So let’s get real. Since […]

This year in books (2025)

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This year! Books! The word ninjas over at Merriam-Webster really nailed the word of the year for 2025: slop. Slop is on my mind so much lately. Not just for the uncannily creepy images and videos that have started filling my social media feeds, but for the way it’s affecting my perception of what’s real. […]