Here's how to find out where your book fits in the marketplace

Nathan Bransford has a big assignment for authors, whether they’re seeking a traditional publisher or striking out on the indie route.

They must know where their book fits in the literary marketplace.

This matters, of course, because you can’t simply hope the right readers stumble upon your book — you must bring it to them.

Sound overwhelming and/or boring?

For the former, Bransford has specific action steps you can take to determine where your book fits, plus strategies for researching similar authors, books, and online communities.

And as for the latter, he says this research is a drop in the bucket, time-wise, compared with the amount of time you spent writing the book.

As a bonus, you might also encounter books and authors that you might enjoy reading.

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