• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Nathan Bransford | Writing, Book Editing, Publishing

Helping authors achieve their dreams

  • Blog
  • Writing Advice
  • Publishing Advice
  • About
  • Take a Class
  • Get Editing

Roald Dahl

How to create a great villain

September 23, 2019 by Nathan Bransford 2 Comments

Bleak painting of two old men

Bill Sikes. Lady MacBeth. Captain Ahab. Voldemort. The Wormwoods. Sauron. Iago. The best villains in literature send a shiver down our spine and make our blood pressure rise. Why do some villains have such a hold on us while others feel like weak sauce? Here are some tips on how to craft a memorable villain. […]

Filed Under: Writing Advice Tagged With: Charles Dickens, Herman Melville, J.K. Rowling, J.M. Barrie, J.R.R. Tolkien, Roald Dahl, Robert Louis Stevenson, Shakespeare

Who are the most memorable parents in books?

July 24, 2019 by Nathan Bransford 9 Comments

A painting of a family

The Wormwoods in Matilda. The Weasleys in Harry Potter. Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. There are some seriously memorable parents in literature. Which ones are your favorites? Art: The Artist and His Family by James Peale

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Roald Dahl

Orwell’s “1984” turns seventy (This week in books)

June 14, 2019 by Nathan Bransford 4 Comments

This week! Books! George Orwell’s 1984 turned seventy years old this past week, and, well, everyone’s kinda wishing it weren’t quite so prescient. Two insightful reflections on Orwell’s classic dystopian masterpiece caught my eye this week: Louis Menand in The New Yorker and George Packer in The Atlantic. For me, no one can dispute Orwell’s […]

Filed Under: This Week in Books Tagged With: Ayn Rand, George Orwell, Roald Dahl, Romance, Scotland, Tin House

In Defense of Dead and Absent Parents in Children’s Literature

September 23, 2010 by Nathan Bransford 120 Comments

There has been some discussion in the book world lately about the prevalence of absent and/or dead parents in children’s literature. In an interesting article in Publishers Weekly called “The Ol’ Dead Dad Syndrome,” editor and author Leila Sales argues that dead parents in children’s literature are not only troublingly common, they can sometimes be […]

Filed Under: Books, Culture Tagged With: Culture, J.K. Rowling, Jacob Wonderbar, Roald Dahl, Star Wars, Suzanne Collins, Young Adult Literature

Who Have Been the Most Influential People in Your Writing Life?

June 16, 2010 by Nathan Bransford 203 Comments

Writing a book is a serious commitment. It’s something that just about everyone thinks about doing at one time or another, but actually sitting down to devote hundreds of hours to one task takes a big dream and lots of elbow grease. Whether we came to it early in life or late in life, chances […]

Filed Under: The Writing Life Tagged With: Life of a Writer, Roald Dahl, Staying Sane While Writing, You Tell Me

What is the Funniest Book of All Time?

May 12, 2010 by Nathan Bransford 225 Comments

Thank you so much to everyone for participating in the Inaugural First Page Critique, and especially to Michelle, our Inaugural First Pagee. There have been requests afoot for this to be a regular feature, and: consider it done! Every Monday henceforth we’ll have a page (and occasionally query) critique, and I’ll continue to reward those […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: book recommendations, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Roald Dahl, You Tell Me

Primary Sidebar

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.
Learn more!

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

Forums

Need help with your query? Want to talk books? Check out the Nathan Bransford Forums
Footer Logo
Nathan Bransford

Helping authors achieve their dreams

  • Editing Services
  • My Books
  • About Me
  • Blog Directory
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
Twitter Logo Facebook Logo Instagram Logo
As an Amazon and Bookshop Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon and Bookshop links are usually affiliate links.