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The best villains in literature (This week in books)

March 7, 2025 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books! (A bit delayed and abbreviated because I’m on the road). LitHub’s annual counter-programming to the March Madness basketball tournament is here, and this year it’s a villainous one: who is the best villain in literature? Cast your votes! I, for one, feel Long John Silver as a 15 seed is an upset […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Alix Strauss, Dan Blank, Daniel Engber, Jane Friedman, LitHub, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Sally Kim, Sally Rooney, Tariffs

Query critique up for grabs! (This week in books)

December 8, 2023 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books! First off, are you in the market for a query critique and/or phone consultation? Are you interested in donating to a good cause? Well I have quite a combo for you. Please bid on a query critique and 30 minute chat with yours truly, and all proceeds will benefit We Need Diverse […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Anne R. Allen, Giving Back, Jane Friedman, Kerry Howley, Leslie Jamison, Rebecca Godfrey, We Need Diverse Books

A fraught Banned Books Week (This week in books)

September 23, 2022 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books! It’s Banned Books Week amid arguably the most intense and concentrated conservative-led book banning efforts in a generation, which are disproportionately targeting LGBTQ and minority books. I’m re-upping We Need Diverse Books’ post on how to support diverse books during a ban. And yesterday, Representative Jamie Raskin and Senator Brian Schatz introduced […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Book Banning, Choose Your Own Adventure, Edward Packard, Jane Friedman, Jasmine Guillory, Leslie Jamison, Nicole Chung, We Need Diverse Books

B&N hardcover policy sparks controversy (This week in books)

September 2, 2022 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books Controversy erupted in the last few weeks as children’s book authors began posting about Barnes & Noble’s stocking policies for hardcover debuts, complaining their new deemphasis on children’s hardcover hurts new, mid-list and diverse voices in particular. B&N CEO James Daunt confirmed the gist of the hardcover policy, citing that up to […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Alexa T. Dodd, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, James Daunt, Jane Friedman, Jessamine Chan, Lord of the Rings, Nathan J. Robinson

F.B.I. nabs the mysterious book thief (This week in books)

January 7, 2022 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books! One of the great running mysteries in the publishing world appears to have at last been solved. For years, someone has been tricking publishing employees into sending them unpublished manuscripts, from famous authors to the relatively obscure. Why? No one quite knew. But this week, the F.B.I. arrested Filippo Bernardini, a Simon […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: bell hooks, David Moldawer, Filippo Bernardini, Isidra Mencos, Jane Friedman, Joan Didion, Laurie McLean, Parul Sehgal, Politics, publishing industry

The art of revision (This week in books)

December 3, 2021 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books! First up, there are two great ways you can contribute to some worthy causes this week. I’m donating a query critique that you can bid on to support We Need Diverse Books! And please consider donating to my 13th annual Heifer International fundraiser! Now then, I have lots and lots and lots […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Alice Sebold, book recommendations, David Moldower, Don Maass, Fonda Lee, Jane Friedman, Joe Zadeh, Kiese Laymon, Lincoln Michel, Realms of Ruin, Science Fiction, Tressie McMillan Cottom, We Need Diverse Books

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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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