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John Green

Beware of literary agency fraud (This week in books)

September 8, 2023 by Nathan Bransford

This week! Books! Book scammers continue to prey on unsuspecting authors, and one of the latest versions involves people impersonating real literary agents, sending fraudulent contracts, and then asking for money. These scams have been around for a while, but seem to be reaching new levels of sophistication. Remember: no reputable agent will ask you […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Abby Aguirre, Ben Thompson, Censorship, ChatGPT, Grace Lin, Indigo, John Green, Ken Whyte, Octavia Butler, Writer Beware

6 ways to build intimacy between characters

September 16, 2019 by Nathan Bransford

Some relationships sizzle right off the page. Some strain belief and feel like duds. What separates the Darcy/Bennets of the literary world from all the countless unmemorable pairings? Here are some ways to build a sense of intimacy between your characters when you’re writing a novel. Validation One of the most primal human needs is […]

Filed Under: Writing Advice Tagged With: Angie Thomas, Ernest Hemingway, Herman Melville, Jane Austen, John Green, M.T. Anderson, Marie Lu, Tahereh Mafi

Kids Books Are Not Just For Kids Anymore

June 2, 2011 by Nathan Bransford

Hansel und Gretel One of the interesting aspects of watching my pal/novel Jacob Wonderbar enter the world has been the reaction of the people who reside outside of the book blogosphere. I’ve been living/virtual-breathing in the book world for so long I forget there are adults out there who don’t make a habit of reading […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: book recommendations, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Jacob Wonderbar, John Green, Suzanne Collins, Twilight, Young Adult Literature

How to craft a great voice

May 10, 2010 by Nathan Bransford

How to craft a great voice

Voice is one of the most difficult writing terms to define and pinpoint. We might know it when we see it, but what’s voice made of, really? You hear so often that agents and editors want “new voices” and “compelling voices” and voice voice voice. So what is voice? How do you cultivate it? And […]

Filed Under: Writing Advice, Writing Novels Tagged With: Cormac McCarthy, Hemingway, How to Write a Novel, J.K. Rowling, John Green, Lord of the Rings, Roald Dahl, William Faulkner, writing advice

John Green and dynamic character relationships

April 8, 2010 by Nathan Bransford

John Green’s Looking for Alaska is a (deservedly) much-loved and much-awarded young adult novel, which, if you haven’t read it, pertinent to yesterday’s discussion let me give you the “OMG you haven’t read Looking for Alaska?!” treatment. For those who have Looking for Alaska on their “gap” book list, the basic plot is this: a […]

Filed Under: Writing Advice, Writing Novels Tagged With: How to Write a Novel, John Green, writing advice, Young Adult Literature

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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!

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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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