Why Your Comps Matter and How to Use Them Effectively
Money Talks, folks!
If you’re an author in this business, you’re probably familiar with what comps are (comparative titles). Publishing professionals— whether agents or editors— are always asking about comps. To some authors, the comps question is daunting. And even more daunting is making sure you picked the “right” comps. So buckle up, I’m going to answer some questions you might have on comps. This post will cover why your comps matter, how to pick the right comps, and research tips for where to find your comps.
why your comparative titles matter
I know I say this in every blog post at this point, but publishing is a business. Why is this such an important reminder? Because when we’re talking about business, we’re talking about numbers and cash. That’s effectively why comps matter. Comps are a business tool. They demonstrate whether there is a market for your book and whether there’s money to be made in it.
Are comps a reliable and 100% accurate tool? No, nothing is 100% accurate in publishing! Just because you have the right comps doesn’t mean that your book will automatically do well, better, or worse than the comps. So what’s the point? An estimate, if you will. We can’t predict the exact future of a book based on the comps alone, but what comps can predict is an estimate of the market in a best-case scenario: In an ideal and realistic situation, could this book tap into the market of this comp title? Could it tap into the same readership? Would the folks who bought the comp title reach for this book? Could this book realistically aim for a similar number of units sold?
At the end of the day, agents, editors, and publishing professionals have to make business decisions, and comps are one of the few tools we have that can estimate numbers.
recognizing the difference between editorial and sales comps
Books that are similar to yours in tone, style, plot, or content are “editorial” comps. Books that are not editorial comps but that you’re choosing because your book is tapping into their readership can be considered “sales” comps. A comp can be both a sales and editorial comp, of course. In fact, in an ideal situation, your comp titles should satisfy both. But I make this distinction for several reasons. Most writers tend to think of editorial comps when they start brainstorming comps. A book can be very editorially similar to yours, but it might not be a great sales comp. I would consider a book a “bad” sales comp if it meets any of the following criteria:
If it wasn’t published in the last 6 years (doesn’t demonstrate a current market)
If it hasn’t sold enough units (implies your book doesn’t have a big enough market)
If it has become a household name (demonstrates a skewed market). Eg: Atomic Habits. You can comp to a bestseller, especially if it’s the right editorial comp for your book, but if you’re comping to insanely successful once-in-a-lifetime type of success books, then you’re not demonstrating a realistic market. Your investor (agent/ editor) is less likely to want to invest in this case because what you’re proposing as an investment sounds somewhat outrageous.
I also think it’s especially important to talk about the difference between editorial and sales comps when we have conversations with BIPOC or underrepresented authors. I meet with many BIPOC authors who often tell me they can’t find the right comps for their book. And usually what that means is that they can’t find the right editorial comps for the book. There are not enough books by and about BIPOC people that delve into the plethora of BIPOC experiences. And in this case, I usually say– okay, have you thought of your sales comps? Maybe the “right” editorial fit isn’t out there, but is there a book out there whose market you could tap into?
how to choose the right comps
Choose books that are published within the last 5-6 years. You need to demonstrate where your book sits in today’s literary market.
Movies and TV shows work as comps too. They too can demonstrate a market or specific target audience. You can comp White Lotus and Knives Out if they are fitting for your book. They have a good base audience and fans do want to see more of either of those!
You can combine two seemingly opposite comps. “X meets Y.” Eg: Dracula meets Book Lovers by Emily Henry: a love story between two publishing professionals where she’s no heroine, and he’s definitely no hero— he’s an editor by day and bloodsucker by night.
You can comp to bestsellers as long as you’re not choosing them because they’re bestsellers and you’re choosing them because they are absolutely the perfect fit for your book.
Provide more than one comparative title, especially if you’re using Film/ TV or bestsellers. Think of it as a balancing act: you want to give a well-rounded idea of the market and target readership. One bestseller alone isn’t enough to show me you understand your market. Could you couple it with another title?
Tips for researching comps
It helps if you’re a reader! Especially within the genre you’re writing. Your bookshelf is an excellent place to start. What books inspired you while you were writing?
Chat GPT is also a useful tool for comp research. You can use a version of this prompt: “Give me 15 comparative titles traditionally published in the last 6 years in the thriller genre for a book about X.” And then obviously cross reference and fact-check!
Ask people. Your beta readers/friends/family who have read your book can let you know what books they would compare yours to. You can also ask your local librarian or bookseller based on your pitch! “My book is about XYZ, what books do you think would fit in next to it on a shelf?”
Goodreads and Amazon can give you a good idea of whether a book sold well enough. You can get a preliminary idea by the number of ratings and reviews.
Submit your comp title question to The Shit No One Tells You About Writing Podcast. They answer comp title questions on their monthly bonus episodes.
If you’ve got cash to spare, book a consultation with a Manuscript Academy member or join as a member for monthly events. I’m part of the faculty and there are many other qualified agents and editors for you to book with based on the genres you work in.
Okay, now go work on your pitch… and don’t forget to include comps! Have questions? Use the button below to submit questions to the blog.
