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Book Marketing

How to write a killer one sentence pitch (or logline) for novels and memoirs

May 22, 2023 by Nathan Bransford

A while back I outlined the general necessity of whittling down your plot to one sentence, one paragraph, and two paragraph pitches in order to give yourself a head start on the literally thousands of times you are going to need to summarize your work over the course of a book’s lifetime. Today I want […]

Filed Under: Book Marketing, Query Letters Tagged With: How to Find a Literary Agent, Jacob Wonderbar, writing advice

How to come up with good comp titles for your book

August 9, 2021 by Nathan Bransford

A good “comp title” (which I’ve seen variously expanded as “comparative title,” “comparison title,” or “competitive title”) can help put a literary agent or reader in the right mindset when you’re trying to pitch your book. A bad one may leave them with their eyes glazing over. So what are comp titles and how do […]

Filed Under: Book Marketing

What is an author platform?

March 1, 2021 by Nathan Bransford

“Platform” is a perennially buzzy term within the publishing industry. Particularly if you’re writing nonfiction and hope to be published by a traditional publisher: chances are you’re going to need a platform. It’s helpful (but not mandatory) for fiction too. In this post I’m going to cover: What is an author platform? Which types of […]

Filed Under: Book Marketing, Nonfiction Tagged With: Platform

There’s no excuse for not knowing where your book fits in the market

August 3, 2020 by Nathan Bransford

I know that the vast majority of authors haven’t worked in the publishing industry and aren’t spending their days acquainting themselves with its ins and outs. I know that for the uninitiated it’s increasingly difficult to tell the difference between traditionally published books and self-published books. I know you would rather just write your books […]

Filed Under: Book Marketing

Marketing tips for reaching your first readers from David Gaughran

July 14, 2020 by Nathan Bransford

It’s very daunting to launch a book in the current climate, but there are opportunities as well. I reached out to one of my favorite book marketing experts, David Gaughran, to talk about how authors can utilize digital ads to reach their first readers, the importance of Amazon metadata, the importance of your newsletter, and […]

Filed Under: Book Marketing, Self-publishing Tagged With: Amazon, Bookbub, David Gaughran, Facebook, Self-publishing

My guide to publishing a book

December 3, 2019 by Nathan Bransford

How to Publish a book by Nathan Bransford

It’s here! I’m so excited to announce the publication of my guide to publishing a book: How to Publish a Book: 41 Rules for Successfully Publishing a Book That You Will Love Forever. It’s available as an ebook and in paperback. Whether you’re pursuing a book deal with a Big 5 publisher or trying your […]

Filed Under: Book Marketing, Business of Publishing, Literary Agents, Nathan's Books, Publishing Industry, Query Letters, Self-publishing Tagged With: publishing industry

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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.

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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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