Why it works: “Ramona the Pest”

Nathan Bransford, TVWriter™’s favorite publishing know-it-all, gives us advice that most writers for all media and genres desperately need. This time around he goes right to the heart of things and tells us why one of the most successful children’s books of all time works.

by Nathan Bransford

A lot of the writing advice out there focuses on what NOT to do. “Why it works” is my occasional series where I take books I love and try to pinpoint what the author does especially well.

Beverly Cleary’s recent passing led me to revisit one of my favorites from my childhood: Ramona the Pest. read article

Don’t start a scene without these four essential elements

Nathan Bransford, TVWriter™’s favorite publishing know-it-all, gives us advice that most writers for all media and genres desperately need. This time around he talks about the importance of properly setting your scene

by Nathan Bransford

Writers often don’t pay quite enough attention to how they start their chapters. read article

The difference between children’s and adult books

Nathan Bransford, TVWriter™’s favorite publishing know-it-all, gives us advice that most writers desperately need. This time around he talks about age, and, no, we don’t mean ageism. Start reading and you’ll see what we mean.

by Nathan Bransford

Authors often get into trouble when they’re writing books for children or adults and end up blending the two in an awkward way. I’m here to clear up confusion around the differences between children’s books and adult books. read article

When to hire a freelance book editor

Nathan Bransford, TVWriter™’s favorite publishing know-it-all, answers one of the most common questions  asked by prose writers, including novices and pros. Big thanks for explaining what’s up so that even this TVWriter™ minion could grasp it!

by Nathan Bransford

There are tons of freelance book editors who can do wonders to help you improve your writing, give you crucial feedback at key junctures in your journey, and provide a final gut check before you pursue publication. I am one of those people. read article

A Year of COVID

Nathan Bransford, TVWriter™’s favorite publishing know-it-all, shares his feelings about the COVID-19 pandemic and what it is doing to the lives of writers and other humans.

by Nathan Bransford

[10 days ago] marked my one year COVID anniversary. A year ago yesterday afternoon I started coughing a bit, checked my temperature, and went….. “Uh oh.” read article