This is the most frustrating part of pitching a book. Authors spend years trying to create something unique and then people turn around and say "but what is it like?"
😅 I agree 💯 with you. It's so frustrating trying to find another authors book with a similar story. I only found one, and the only similar part is the beginning where three people meet.
Thanks! This was very helpful. I am insecure about comps and have trouble picking them because I think my book might not be enough like them, however I don't want it to be a lot like them or it seems like copying. One of these days, I will get the courage to send you my query! I always feel like there is one more thing to improve.
As an older writer this has always confused me, as back in the day we were taught not to compare. Lol So I struggle with this, and glad you covered it.
Thank you so much for this! My question is can we comp tv shows/movies for the vibe of our book or should it only be books? You mentioned Wednesday and Stranger Things, would those be okay to comp (if suitable) along with a book as well?
You can definitely comp to other media! It's a really fun way to convey the vibes of the books :) But we agree that you should also include a book or two in your comps, like you said!
Thank you for the video! I have some Questions! 1. What advice would you give me if I have 1 comp title for my book that is recent (4 years) and another comp titles that is older (17 years), but they are the PERFECT pair of comp titles to describe my book? They are both successful books, and the older one is by a quite big name in the fantasy genre, but not on the level of Rowling or Stephen King or GRRM. Should I sacrifice the accuracy of the comp just to get one that's newer? Or would I just be better off not including comp titles at all? 2. How do TV show adaptations of a book effect the age recommendations? For example, Wheel of Time is older, but the TV series is only 2 years old. That clearly shows that the story is still relevant in the current market, so could I use the book as a comp? Could I use the TV show specifically as my comp? Do I have to specify? 3. What are the guidelines for using book series as comp titles? If I'm writing the first book in a series, should I always use first series books as my comps? And likewise for books 2, and so on? Can I use the final book in a series as a comp for my first one? And lastly thank you so much Jessica and James for everything you two do, I'm so grateful for all the information you've shared. It's been absolutely invaluable in my journey as a writer. I'd love if one day I got to work with BookEnds!
So glad you've found our videos helpful!! 1. If the 17 year old book is a perfect comp, you don't have to get rid of it. It's good that you are also combining it with a newer title. The most important thing is that you are showing how your book fits into the current market, so as long as you have (preferably more than one) current titles as comps, it's technically okay to also comp to something older! Comps typically have more power to help than to hinder, anyhow, so it's okay if they're not perfect. 2. I would recommend specifying that you're comping to the TV show! It's totally fine to comp to TV shows/movies, and can be a great way to convey a certain vibe. 3. You would typically comp to the series as a whole. The reason for comping is to show where your book fits into the market, and usually all books in a series will occupy the same space in the market. Unless, tonally, the books in the series are very different from one another, or unless you're comping to a specific plot device used in one of the books, I'd recommend comping to the series as a whole.
This is really useful perspective. Thanks. I read a lot and broadly, but not so much *current* books, so I think I'd have a hard time talking about comp titles since that they seem to refer mostly to what's selling *now*? I guess I need to start reading more current stuff, though as a rule I like to see what stands the test of time...
@@BookEndsLiterary Will do. As you have said, this is a business, so I need to understand the market. These videos and your blog are really helpful. Thanks again!
In some research I've done on comps it's been said not to list ones older than 5 years, but so many of your examples were older. What is an agentxs views on older comps versus newer being listed? Is there a cutoff like some websites suggest?
Hi! We recommend having at least 1 or 2 comps that are more recent (5 years), as it shows that you have an understanding of your book's potential place in the current market. But it's okay to join those with slightly older comps :) Especially if you're doing a spin on a classic or something along those lines!
@@BookEndsLiterary Hi! Say someone write an amazing book, but they "don't understand their potential in the current market" why does it matter? Thanks!
I really appreciate the details of considering comp titles. Thanks for that. What I was hoping for was a detailed "process" to find comparable titles beyond my own reading and slightly larger awareness of books out there. Can you offer a specific example, say for a book written in the cascading genre of Fantasy, Paranormal, Shapshifter, in Alaska. How would I find books in that narrow niche?
Hi! If you have access to Publisher's Marketplace, you can run a search for keywords to find deals to similar books. If you don't, you might be able to try Goodreads, as there are some pretty niche community-generated "Shelves" that the books can be categorized with that might lead you to some comp titles!
Thank you for the advice! What are your thoughts on leaving out comp titles (for PBs, specifically) when you can’t find any that quite fit? I have been in a situation where the perfect comp titles were older (10 years), and with newer titles, it felt like a weaker pitch. Is that a sign that the book wouldn’t be well received in the current market?
Hi! Comps aren't required in the query letter, although they usually show a good understanding of a market and are therefore encouraged! So you can leave them off if you choose. If you find that your book is only comping to older titles, it doesn't necessarily mean that it won't be received well in the current market, but you might want to get some betas or CPs to weigh in on whether the premise feels dated to them or if they have suggestions for more recent comps :)
Thank you so much for your fun and helpful videos each week! I have a question: I am considering entering PB Pitch on Twitter in June. I am new to having a Twitter account and to online pitch parties, and am wondering if you have a video all about Twitter pitch parties I could watch while prepping, or if you would consider adding this topic to your list for future video topics?
I have a pb story that would appeal to children who love Fancy Nancy, Clarice, and Pinkalicious. I know those titles are too old to be comp titles and too popular, as well. However, in a query letter, is it appropriate to have 2-3 recent comp titles (2022-2024) along with mentioning those big titles (similarly to how I phrased it above) to demonstrate target audience? In my opinion, those big titles are still relevant to the market considering they are on current bestseller lists. Would having those titles just make agents roll their eyes or is there a benefit to including them?
You can still include them! Like you mention, it's a good idea to have mostly recent titles but it's not necessarily a bad thing to also include older titles, especially strategically!
Hi! We do recommend mostly current titles to show that you are familiar with the market! Especially because books that were published 5 years ago were likely bought by the publishers at least 6 or 7 years ago, so editor buying trends have really changed since then :) There are always exceptions to be made, though!
First, thank you. This clears up a lot. Second, am I understanding correctly, that it’s okay to comp on the tone of a book, or the author writing style? It’s not simply a storyline comparison?
This is correct! We recommend comping to things that are in your genre, but it's definitely okay to pick things in the genre that are tonally similar to yours. You can say "My book X has the [plot element] of Y and the [descriptor] tone of Z" for instance :)
Do you think it's okay to comp to a successful author if it's not their most famous work? Yumi and the Nightmare Painter would be a great comp, but I'm hesitant to comp to Brandon Sanderson because he is so famous. What do you think?
Comping to a specific book and even a specific element of a specific book is usually fine regardless of the popularity of the author, as long as it's a recent publication! :) Comping to Brandon Sanderson as an author (like saying "for fans of Brandon Sanderson") would be tricky because it doesn't actually say much about your book except that you're aspiring to be the next Brandon Sanderson, which is impossible to actually predict. But saying "For fans of the [plot/character dynamics/setting/etc.] of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter" is more specific and actually tells the agent/editor about your book!
Maybe you could address this: I'm not getting too inspired to read like I used to when I'm in Barnes and Noble. I'm finding more and more lack of a variety of authors. I estimated about 80% of books on display tables are mostly women authors. Not against women authors, of course, as the last 7 books I've read are by women authors. But where are the male authors? Especially, young male authors? Also, I'm noticing that displays hold books that are more trendy than, say, high quality fiction. It wasn't always like this. For the first time in ages, I left the store yesterday without buying anything. It was so sad, actually. I always go to spend and find SOMETHING. But I just couldn't talk myself into anything they were "pushing" when I was there. As an aspiring author, what should I think about this from your perspective?
Do you watch book you tubers? I watch quite a few and have found many interesting books, and just keeps me involved in the book world. I follow men’s and women. Here is list of male book tubers for you to try out. They read a lot of make writers. On a side note have you read Cormac McCarthy, Harlan Coben, James Baldwin? Book you tubers: Brian Lee Durfee - crime, scifi, Fantasy Eric Karl Anderson - literary mostly Benjamin McEvoy Michael K Vaughan Good luck and keep reading
Another great & insightful video. One thing that surprised me was Jessica encouraging comp from a different age group. I was led to believe by other professionals that such cross-age comp is a big no-no. I have a lot of great comp choices I don't mention in my query because they are YA and mine is adult, despite the fact that those YA novels are imo involve topics too hardcore for YA age group. So, am I allowed to comp YA? Or I should better stick to my age group?
Glad you've found our videos helpful! You can comp outside of your age group, although we encourage you to say something similar to "like an adult [insert YA book here]" to make it clear that you understand that you are comping outside of your intended audience. It shows that you are familiar with the market you're writing in and aren't just writing outside of what you actually read, if that makes sense! Bonus points for describing which elements of the YA book you are comping to so that it's clear why you are comping outside of the market you're writing in :)
Hi! All books should have comp titles! It shows that you understand the market you're trying to enter into and what's popular. This video should help you choose comp titles for your book :) Some of your comps can also be popular movies or TV shows if you can't find the right book!
My problem is this: I could comp my book to other books I've read and loved (maybe 'Cloud Atlas' meets 'V for Vendetta') but apparently the comp titles be should from the past 5 to 10 years. I don't read enough books to know even one recent title which is a) very similar to mine, b) more than averagely good. I'm reluctant to trawl through bookshops and Amazon to find titles I haven't read but which might be be vaguely similar - seems pretty dishonest to me.
This is very likely to happen and totally fine :) The agent will either have enough knowledge of the book to get a sense of its audience/tone/etc. regardless of having read it, or will be able to find that info out pretty easily.
I am having a hard time finding a comp, the closest plot wise story is Stephen Kings 'The institute' they share the same themes, magic, being held captive, having your powers used against you, but i know I shouldnt be uaing him at all!
As long as you are able to find more recent books/authors to add to your comps as well, you can use the Stephen King comp! You just want to show that your book can be enjoyed by the audiences of more recent popular titles as well :)
@@BookEndsLiterary I appreciate the reply! And will look for a more recent one to add to the Stephen King comp. I am on 15 rejections so far, so am starting to think I'll start a new novel come next year. 😊
I love you guys. But not comp titles. I can't think of or find a book that could serve as a comp title to my novel. At best, I can find an author whose style/voice maybe is similar - but, boy does it feel egotistical to then suggest that in a query letter. What about the old screenplay trick -- my story is like (Title X) meets (Title Y)?
Yes, that's a very common way to provide comp titles! In fact, it's typically expected that you consider your story to be a mix of several others. If you only had one comp title that was a perfect match, you wouldn't be conveying the uniqueness of your story. But also, don't be too shy to mention a specific author whose voice is similar! If it's true, then it's true, and will give the agent a good sense of what your story is like :)
0:50 I might posit that comp titles are, in fact, not competition at all, when we consider the fact that most readers will not just buy one book in their lifetime. We're really not competing against other authors here, we're working with them. Comp titles are books that can elevate the reader's experience of a certain genre, subject, setting and/or theme, because they are comparable, and being comparable is the opposite of competition. The people who are excited about one of these books, should be excited about all of them. I feel like that is the heart of what makes comp titles important. "The people that love these books will hopefully be the readers that love my book." Though you did also say that it depends on if we're talking fiction or non-fiction, and I know very little about non-fiction, but I can see how that might be more competitive.
the closest comp title i found so far for my story... was a YA title. and then I had a beta once tell me that my story reminded them of anne rice. LOL oh well.
Contradictory: "Don't chase trends" vs. "Comps should be within the last 3 years". In my opinion, comps shouldn't be used by agents as a short-cut to a marketing strategy. If the best comps are 5, 10, or more years ago, then they are still the best comps. Maybe instead of "comp title", they should be labeled "Help-me-sell-this-book titles".
I'm come back to update or add another comment, but my comment's gone!? Could I have commented on another video from your channel somehow that was under this one? I'm getting tired but didn't realize how tired! A mag's just bought one of my freelance travel article ideas so even busier today than sometimes! Anyway, I'm assuming my comment on Jessica's IG post triggered this one!? Although agents aren't having an issue with Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias as comp titles, I understand what you're saying! I've reached a happy medium with Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe and Fried Green Tomatoes! Like Midnight..., mine's magical realism! Thank you!📚
This is the most frustrating part of pitching a book. Authors spend years trying to create something unique and then people turn around and say "but what is it like?"
I think it's lazy agents. Wanting 3 year old comps? How about I give you comps and see if you can sell it. I already wrote the fucking book.
😅 I agree 💯 with you. It's so frustrating trying to find another authors book with a similar story. I only found one, and the only similar part is the beginning where three people meet.
Thanks! This was very helpful. I am insecure about comps and have trouble picking them because I think my book might not be enough like them, however I don't want it to be a lot like them or it seems like copying. One of these days, I will get the courage to send you my query! I always feel like there is one more thing to improve.
As an older writer this has always confused me, as back in the day we were taught not to compare. Lol So I struggle with this, and glad you covered it.
It’s an interesting quandary. Art versus business. I write to express myself. But I would love my art to sell 😊
Soliciting suggestions for comp titles from your beta readers is a good tip, if you're having trouble coming up with them on your own.
Some agents should really put a bit more detail into their wishlists as well. Everyone would love a page turner or a book that has a fresh voice.
I agree. When agents are vague and say they accept all genres, I feel like there's no reason to submit to them.
Thank you so much for this! My question is can we comp tv shows/movies for the vibe of our book or should it only be books? You mentioned Wednesday and Stranger Things, would those be okay to comp (if suitable) along with a book as well?
You can definitely comp to other media! It's a really fun way to convey the vibes of the books :) But we agree that you should also include a book or two in your comps, like you said!
Thank you for the video! I have some Questions!
1. What advice would you give me if I have 1 comp title for my book that is recent (4 years) and another comp titles that is older (17 years), but they are the PERFECT pair of comp titles to describe my book? They are both successful books, and the older one is by a quite big name in the fantasy genre, but not on the level of Rowling or Stephen King or GRRM. Should I sacrifice the accuracy of the comp just to get one that's newer? Or would I just be better off not including comp titles at all?
2. How do TV show adaptations of a book effect the age recommendations? For example, Wheel of Time is older, but the TV series is only 2 years old. That clearly shows that the story is still relevant in the current market, so could I use the book as a comp? Could I use the TV show specifically as my comp? Do I have to specify?
3. What are the guidelines for using book series as comp titles? If I'm writing the first book in a series, should I always use first series books as my comps? And likewise for books 2, and so on? Can I use the final book in a series as a comp for my first one?
And lastly thank you so much Jessica and James for everything you two do, I'm so grateful for all the information you've shared. It's been absolutely invaluable in my journey as a writer. I'd love if one day I got to work with BookEnds!
So glad you've found our videos helpful!!
1. If the 17 year old book is a perfect comp, you don't have to get rid of it. It's good that you are also combining it with a newer title. The most important thing is that you are showing how your book fits into the current market, so as long as you have (preferably more than one) current titles as comps, it's technically okay to also comp to something older! Comps typically have more power to help than to hinder, anyhow, so it's okay if they're not perfect.
2. I would recommend specifying that you're comping to the TV show! It's totally fine to comp to TV shows/movies, and can be a great way to convey a certain vibe.
3. You would typically comp to the series as a whole. The reason for comping is to show where your book fits into the market, and usually all books in a series will occupy the same space in the market. Unless, tonally, the books in the series are very different from one another, or unless you're comping to a specific plot device used in one of the books, I'd recommend comping to the series as a whole.
This is really useful perspective. Thanks. I read a lot and broadly, but not so much *current* books, so I think I'd have a hard time talking about comp titles since that they seem to refer mostly to what's selling *now*? I guess I need to start reading more current stuff, though as a rule I like to see what stands the test of time...
We definitely recommend that authors trying to get published now read a lot of current books so they understand the market! :)
@@BookEndsLiterary Will do. As you have said, this is a business, so I need to understand the market. These videos and your blog are really helpful. Thanks again!
Could you comp against a movie… “ mission impossible” “ Indiana Jones”?
In some research I've done on comps it's been said not to list ones older than 5 years, but so many of your examples were older. What is an agentxs views on older comps versus newer being listed? Is there a cutoff like some websites suggest?
Hi! We recommend having at least 1 or 2 comps that are more recent (5 years), as it shows that you have an understanding of your book's potential place in the current market. But it's okay to join those with slightly older comps :) Especially if you're doing a spin on a classic or something along those lines!
@@BookEndsLiterary Hi! Say someone write an amazing book, but they "don't understand their potential in the current market" why does it matter? Thanks!
Very helpful!
I really appreciate the details of considering comp titles. Thanks for that. What I was hoping for was a detailed "process" to find comparable titles beyond my own reading and slightly larger awareness of books out there. Can you offer a specific example, say for a book written in the cascading genre of Fantasy, Paranormal, Shapshifter, in Alaska. How would I find books in that narrow niche?
Hi! If you have access to Publisher's Marketplace, you can run a search for keywords to find deals to similar books. If you don't, you might be able to try Goodreads, as there are some pretty niche community-generated "Shelves" that the books can be categorized with that might lead you to some comp titles!
@@BookEndsLiterary Thanks a bunch. Just what I was looking for. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for the advice! What are your thoughts on leaving out comp titles (for PBs, specifically) when you can’t find any that quite fit? I have been in a situation where the perfect comp titles were older (10 years), and with newer titles, it felt like a weaker pitch. Is that a sign that the book wouldn’t be well received in the current market?
Hi! Comps aren't required in the query letter, although they usually show a good understanding of a market and are therefore encouraged! So you can leave them off if you choose. If you find that your book is only comping to older titles, it doesn't necessarily mean that it won't be received well in the current market, but you might want to get some betas or CPs to weigh in on whether the premise feels dated to them or if they have suggestions for more recent comps :)
Thank you so much for your fun and helpful videos each week! I have a question: I am considering entering PB Pitch on Twitter in June. I am new to having a Twitter account and to online pitch parties, and am wondering if you have a video all about Twitter pitch parties I could watch while prepping, or if you would consider adding this topic to your list for future video topics?
Hi! We actually have something like this on our list of video ideas, I'll bump it up the list :)
@@BookEndsLiterary thank you so much! I really appreciate that and am looking forward to watching!
I have a pb story that would appeal to children who love Fancy Nancy, Clarice, and Pinkalicious. I know those titles are too old to be comp titles and too popular, as well. However, in a query letter, is it appropriate to have 2-3 recent comp titles (2022-2024) along with mentioning those big titles (similarly to how I phrased it above) to demonstrate target audience? In my opinion, those big titles are still relevant to the market considering they are on current bestseller lists. Would having those titles just make agents roll their eyes or is there a benefit to including them?
You can still include them! Like you mention, it's a good idea to have mostly recent titles but it's not necessarily a bad thing to also include older titles, especially strategically!
@@BookEndsLiterary Thanks! I appreciate your time and value your opinion.
Great video, thanks! I often hear comp titles need to be no older than five years. Do you agree/disagree?
Hi! We do recommend mostly current titles to show that you are familiar with the market! Especially because books that were published 5 years ago were likely bought by the publishers at least 6 or 7 years ago, so editor buying trends have really changed since then :) There are always exceptions to be made, though!
First, thank you. This clears up a lot. Second, am I understanding correctly, that it’s okay to comp on the tone of a book, or the author writing style? It’s not simply a storyline comparison?
This is correct! We recommend comping to things that are in your genre, but it's definitely okay to pick things in the genre that are tonally similar to yours. You can say "My book X has the [plot element] of Y and the [descriptor] tone of Z" for instance :)
@@BookEndsLiterary awesome, thank you!!
Do you think it's okay to comp to a successful author if it's not their most famous work? Yumi and the Nightmare Painter would be a great comp, but I'm hesitant to comp to Brandon Sanderson because he is so famous. What do you think?
Comping to a specific book and even a specific element of a specific book is usually fine regardless of the popularity of the author, as long as it's a recent publication! :)
Comping to Brandon Sanderson as an author (like saying "for fans of Brandon Sanderson") would be tricky because it doesn't actually say much about your book except that you're aspiring to be the next Brandon Sanderson, which is impossible to actually predict. But saying "For fans of the [plot/character dynamics/setting/etc.] of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter" is more specific and actually tells the agent/editor about your book!
Maybe you could address this: I'm not getting too inspired to read like I used to when I'm in Barnes and Noble. I'm finding more and more lack of a variety of authors. I estimated about 80% of books on display tables are mostly women authors. Not against women authors, of course, as the last 7 books I've read are by women authors. But where are the male authors? Especially, young male authors? Also, I'm noticing that displays hold books that are more trendy than, say, high quality fiction. It wasn't always like this. For the first time in ages, I left the store yesterday without buying anything. It was so sad, actually. I always go to spend and find SOMETHING. But I just couldn't talk myself into anything they were "pushing" when I was there. As an aspiring author, what should I think about this from your perspective?
Do you watch book you tubers? I watch quite a few and have found many interesting books, and just keeps me involved in the book world. I follow men’s and women. Here is list of male book tubers for you to try out. They read a lot of make writers. On a side note have you read Cormac McCarthy, Harlan Coben, James Baldwin?
Book you tubers:
Brian Lee Durfee - crime, scifi,
Fantasy
Eric Karl Anderson - literary mostly
Benjamin McEvoy
Michael K Vaughan
Good luck and keep reading
Thanks!
Another great & insightful video. One thing that surprised me was Jessica encouraging comp from a different age group. I was led to believe by other professionals that such cross-age comp is a big no-no. I have a lot of great comp choices I don't mention in my query because they are YA and mine is adult, despite the fact that those YA novels are imo involve topics too hardcore for YA age group. So, am I allowed to comp YA? Or I should better stick to my age group?
Glad you've found our videos helpful! You can comp outside of your age group, although we encourage you to say something similar to "like an adult [insert YA book here]" to make it clear that you understand that you are comping outside of your intended audience. It shows that you are familiar with the market you're writing in and aren't just writing outside of what you actually read, if that makes sense! Bonus points for describing which elements of the YA book you are comping to so that it's clear why you are comping outside of the market you're writing in :)
@@BookEndsLiterary This is extremely helpful. Thanks a lot for your response.
What if my book does not have comp titles?
Hi! All books should have comp titles! It shows that you understand the market you're trying to enter into and what's popular. This video should help you choose comp titles for your book :) Some of your comps can also be popular movies or TV shows if you can't find the right book!
Always a tough one...
My problem is this: I could comp my book to other books I've read and loved (maybe 'Cloud Atlas' meets 'V for Vendetta') but apparently the comp titles be should from the past 5 to 10 years.
I don't read enough books to know even one recent title which is a) very similar to mine, b) more than averagely good. I'm reluctant to trawl through bookshops and Amazon to find titles I haven't read but which might be be vaguely similar - seems pretty dishonest to me.
It is dishonest. I my book is a cross between a 10 year old horror, and 100 year old non fiction. Then that is what it is.
What if we comp to something that the agent hasn't read?
This is very likely to happen and totally fine :) The agent will either have enough knowledge of the book to get a sense of its audience/tone/etc. regardless of having read it, or will be able to find that info out pretty easily.
@@BookEndsLiterary Cool, thanks!
I am having a hard time finding a comp, the closest plot wise story is Stephen Kings 'The institute' they share the same themes, magic, being held captive, having your powers used against you, but i know I shouldnt be uaing him at all!
As long as you are able to find more recent books/authors to add to your comps as well, you can use the Stephen King comp! You just want to show that your book can be enjoyed by the audiences of more recent popular titles as well :)
@@BookEndsLiterary I appreciate the reply! And will look for a more recent one to add to the Stephen King comp.
I am on 15 rejections so far, so am starting to think I'll start a new novel come next year. 😊
“Shows there’s a particular market for your book.” Never heard it put that way before.
I love you guys. But not comp titles. I can't think of or find a book that could serve as a comp title to my novel. At best, I can find an author whose style/voice maybe is similar - but, boy does it feel egotistical to then suggest that in a query letter. What about the old screenplay trick -- my story is like (Title X) meets (Title Y)?
Yes, that's a very common way to provide comp titles! In fact, it's typically expected that you consider your story to be a mix of several others. If you only had one comp title that was a perfect match, you wouldn't be conveying the uniqueness of your story. But also, don't be too shy to mention a specific author whose voice is similar! If it's true, then it's true, and will give the agent a good sense of what your story is like :)
Thank you for the reply. I will be querying in a few more weeks and your answer will help me tweak my query letters.@@BookEndsLiterary
0:50 I might posit that comp titles are, in fact, not competition at all, when we consider the fact that most readers will not just buy one book in their lifetime. We're really not competing against other authors here, we're working with them. Comp titles are books that can elevate the reader's experience of a certain genre, subject, setting and/or theme, because they are comparable, and being comparable is the opposite of competition. The people who are excited about one of these books, should be excited about all of them. I feel like that is the heart of what makes comp titles important. "The people that love these books will hopefully be the readers that love my book."
Though you did also say that it depends on if we're talking fiction or non-fiction, and I know very little about non-fiction, but I can see how that might be more competitive.
I agree, finding a good comp shows that readers want more of something like this
It's not even real pigs' blood.
the closest comp title i found so far for my story... was a YA title. and then I had a beta once tell me that my story reminded them of anne rice. LOL oh well.
Contradictory: "Don't chase trends" vs. "Comps should be within the last 3 years". In my opinion, comps shouldn't be used by agents as a short-cut to a marketing strategy. If the best comps are 5, 10, or more years ago, then they are still the best comps.
Maybe instead of "comp title", they should be labeled "Help-me-sell-this-book titles".
I'm come back to update or add another comment, but my comment's gone!? Could I have commented on another video from your channel somehow that was under this one? I'm getting tired but didn't realize how tired! A mag's just bought one of my freelance travel article ideas so even busier today than sometimes! Anyway, I'm assuming my comment on Jessica's IG post triggered this one!? Although agents aren't having an issue with Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias as comp titles, I understand what you're saying! I've reached a happy medium with Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe and Fried Green Tomatoes! Like Midnight..., mine's magical realism! Thank you!📚