And one thing I've seen people do mistakenly is comp to titles that they love, but that are not necessarily successful or relevant.
Once someone told me they comped their vampire novel to Certain Dark Things, which is my vampire novel that has enjoyed very little success, because they loved it. As you say, people don't necessarily have access to Bookscan but I think a little bit of research would have shown that book is a rather obscure book and not one of my better known titles.
The other book they comped was something like Dracula, which is way too old and way to seminal in the history of genre fiction. Ultimately, chatting with this person I convinced them to comp to Empire of the Vampire and another title. I think they ended getting a few requests for fulls, although no sales of the manuscript. Though, I will note here vampire fiction has been terribly hard to sell for the past 10 years.
What do you think about the opposite problem: Comping a (well-selling) title that the writer *doesn't* love, but is similar in a relevant respect? Does it matter if the writer doesn't love their comps?
If the comp helps an editor place my title on a bookshelf, that's what matters. Also, my publisher has comped me with titles I didn't care for for sales purposes, to the point where a cover of my first novel was redesigned to have a Stranger Things font to evoke that TV show even though my novel was a quiet, coming of age story with a very slight magical element set in the 1980s. The only thing in common was the 80s. I didn't like it, but they did it, so it will happen that you might not get comped to what you enjoy.
As a reader, I find even the most accurate comps offputting when I'm trying to decide on my next book or get a sense of what's out there. I wish there was a way to hide them from book covers and jacket copy. That said, I understand them as a necessary evil, they're by definition reductive, but useful for everyone whose job exists in the space between the author and the reader.
As a reader I feel this way as well. If I'm looking for twilight I'll read twilight, if I'm looking for a vampire romance with a teen girl and a 120 year old guy thats all I need to know because there are lots of ways that could happen that aren't twilightish. I don't want to have a pre-expectation coloring my experience.
Great overview, Lincoln. I successfully queried my novel (finally!) using the comps BLACK BUCK (a strong but not mega best-selling novel) and BILLIONS (a pretty popular TV show), which my agent also used to pitch editors. I'm pretty sure my acquiring editor used those internally as well, though I can't say for sure.
Both of my comps are within the last five years, though frankly the comp I wanted to use was CATCH-22. Of course, that's an all-time bestseller and a very old book, so it wasn't appropriate for querying agents or editors. Maybe I'll trick the marketing people into putting it on the cover.
In general, I think the "X meets Y" formula works well for querying agents, where at least X or Y are books, and at least X or Y had good-to-great sales. I've seen a lot of advice suggesting you shouldn't comp to books that are too successful, but I disagree. If the comp works at the artistic level, then use it at the business level too. You're trying to sell something to somebody, so go big.
Yeah these kind of comps totally CAN overlap. What you use with your agent might be what they use with editors. But they don't have to be. With my agent, I called my most recent novel "Pale Fire meets Star Trek" ... but those weren't useable pitching comps to editors, so we came up with others.
When I try to come up with comp titles, I often realize my book doesn’t neatly fall into a category. It’s why I do it as early as possible, when I still have a few drafts of rewrites to do. A comp title can help me understand what I have written and direct my self-editing.
If you’re going to go so far as to worry about comps, why not have them in mind already as you go about writing the novel? Could guide you? My novels don’t seem to line up with others, but my agent doesn’t really care.
When I try to come up with comp titles, I often realize my book doesn’t neatly fall into a category. It’s why I do it as early as possible, when I still have a few drafts of rewrites to do. A comp title can help me understand what I have written and direct my self-editing.
True, maybe I shouldn't say so much that #2 is entirely the agent's responsibility but that at least you have a professional who is working with you on them?
That's my experience. And the emphasis, as you've described, on "bestsellers" and books published in the previous two to three years, which seems to favor comps pulled from current publishing trends.
A big thank you for this post. I took a lot from it.
I'm writing a passion project, so I thought I wasn't worried about nailing the comparison. But on the other hand, I work in marketing – framing and positioning is what I do. Recently I landed on a comp I really believe in, and what's interesting is that it's given me more faith in the whole project. I've finally framed it for myself, and the road ahead seems a little bit straighter now.
And one thing I've seen people do mistakenly is comp to titles that they love, but that are not necessarily successful or relevant.
Once someone told me they comped their vampire novel to Certain Dark Things, which is my vampire novel that has enjoyed very little success, because they loved it. As you say, people don't necessarily have access to Bookscan but I think a little bit of research would have shown that book is a rather obscure book and not one of my better known titles.
The other book they comped was something like Dracula, which is way too old and way to seminal in the history of genre fiction. Ultimately, chatting with this person I convinced them to comp to Empire of the Vampire and another title. I think they ended getting a few requests for fulls, although no sales of the manuscript. Though, I will note here vampire fiction has been terribly hard to sell for the past 10 years.
So, you have to be strategic.
100%. You can think of comping just to what you love for yourself or maybe your tweets. But should be strategic when querying and pitching
What do you think about the opposite problem: Comping a (well-selling) title that the writer *doesn't* love, but is similar in a relevant respect? Does it matter if the writer doesn't love their comps?
If the comp helps an editor place my title on a bookshelf, that's what matters. Also, my publisher has comped me with titles I didn't care for for sales purposes, to the point where a cover of my first novel was redesigned to have a Stranger Things font to evoke that TV show even though my novel was a quiet, coming of age story with a very slight magical element set in the 1980s. The only thing in common was the 80s. I didn't like it, but they did it, so it will happen that you might not get comped to what you enjoy.
Thank you!
As a reader, I find even the most accurate comps offputting when I'm trying to decide on my next book or get a sense of what's out there. I wish there was a way to hide them from book covers and jacket copy. That said, I understand them as a necessary evil, they're by definition reductive, but useful for everyone whose job exists in the space between the author and the reader.
As a reader I feel this way as well. If I'm looking for twilight I'll read twilight, if I'm looking for a vampire romance with a teen girl and a 120 year old guy thats all I need to know because there are lots of ways that could happen that aren't twilightish. I don't want to have a pre-expectation coloring my experience.
Great overview, Lincoln. I successfully queried my novel (finally!) using the comps BLACK BUCK (a strong but not mega best-selling novel) and BILLIONS (a pretty popular TV show), which my agent also used to pitch editors. I'm pretty sure my acquiring editor used those internally as well, though I can't say for sure.
Both of my comps are within the last five years, though frankly the comp I wanted to use was CATCH-22. Of course, that's an all-time bestseller and a very old book, so it wasn't appropriate for querying agents or editors. Maybe I'll trick the marketing people into putting it on the cover.
In general, I think the "X meets Y" formula works well for querying agents, where at least X or Y are books, and at least X or Y had good-to-great sales. I've seen a lot of advice suggesting you shouldn't comp to books that are too successful, but I disagree. If the comp works at the artistic level, then use it at the business level too. You're trying to sell something to somebody, so go big.
Yeah these kind of comps totally CAN overlap. What you use with your agent might be what they use with editors. But they don't have to be. With my agent, I called my most recent novel "Pale Fire meets Star Trek" ... but those weren't useable pitching comps to editors, so we came up with others.
When I try to come up with comp titles, I often realize my book doesn’t neatly fall into a category. It’s why I do it as early as possible, when I still have a few drafts of rewrites to do. A comp title can help me understand what I have written and direct my self-editing.
If you’re going to go so far as to worry about comps, why not have them in mind already as you go about writing the novel? Could guide you? My novels don’t seem to line up with others, but my agent doesn’t really care.
Yes, I think it's best to not think about them at all if you can avoid. At least if you're trying to do something literary broadly speaking.
When I try to come up with comp titles, I often realize my book doesn’t neatly fall into a category. It’s why I do it as early as possible, when I still have a few drafts of rewrites to do. A comp title can help me understand what I have written and direct my self-editing.
This is the best comp explainer I've read. Well done.
Really helpful. Thank you.
You have to pick a lane. I don't understand writers who can't easily name comps
This is incredibly valuable information thank you
Great breakdown, thank you!
‘Godzilla Minus One’ is ‘Lord Jim’ and ’Grave of the Fireflies’ meet ‘Remains of the Day’. And it has Godzilla.
Spot on. But my agent also expects me to provide #2, submission comps to editors. Prepping the whole package, as it were.
True, maybe I shouldn't say so much that #2 is entirely the agent's responsibility but that at least you have a professional who is working with you on them?
That's my experience. And the emphasis, as you've described, on "bestsellers" and books published in the previous two to three years, which seems to favor comps pulled from current publishing trends.
A big thank you for this post. I took a lot from it.
I'm writing a passion project, so I thought I wasn't worried about nailing the comparison. But on the other hand, I work in marketing – framing and positioning is what I do. Recently I landed on a comp I really believe in, and what's interesting is that it's given me more faith in the whole project. I've finally framed it for myself, and the road ahead seems a little bit straighter now.
Perfect timing. Thank you.
This was really clear & helpful. Thank you!