ANALYZING COMPARATIVE TITLES
By Nicky Hackett
What could be more overwhelming than figuring out which books compare and compete with yours? But actually there’s no quicker way to describe the likely experience of your reader than to reference another book. And there’s no better way to give an agent or publisher or retailer a sense of where your book belongs and who’s likely to read it. It also gives you credibility: They’ll know that you read other authors and you know your book’s genre and where it belongs. So it’s important.
Truthfully, not all publishers think comp titles are necessary for fiction books, although for non-fiction it’s universally expected. But here’s why I think you need to know your comp titles: Let’s say you are planning to self-publish and market your book primarily on Amazon. How will readers find it? By genre and keyword searches, right? And what’s the easiest way to identify the best genre match and good keywords? By browsing other books, right? The more you think these things through and develop an articulate spiel, the better you can promote your book.
So where to start?
Give yourself time to browse. Maybe your genre is clear and comparable books are obvious and you’ll be done quickly. Maybe not. I’m analyzing a book right now that overlaps several genres, and I’ve had to search and read and discuss and ruminate and come back. This is fun and interesting, but NOT if I was under pressure.
What other authors and books come to mind when you think about your book? Guard against thinking your book is completely unique. That’s probably not true, it gives the impression you don’t read (publishers are well read, and they expect authors to read too), and agents and publishers might get the impression your book is unnecessary or difficult to market. You can include comparable movies, tv shows and video games too, but NOT to the exclusion of other books.
Start your search online or in a bookstore or library. Try Amazon, Goodreads, etc. Look for books similar to yours and note the genres and keywords they use. Look at the “You might also like” recommendations to broaden your search. You can use older titles and classics for some comparatives, but you need enough recent books (past 2-3 years) to show that there’s a market for yours. Browsing sections of bookstores and libraries can give you an idea about where your book fits in. Bookstore staff and librarians can be a fountain of knowledge.
Amazon has genre best seller lists and will tell you in each book details of how well a book ranks. The rank of your comparable title doesn't have to be at the top, but it should rank above #10,000. If there’s no rank in the book details, don’t use that title.
Comp titles are HIGHLY subjective. Some writers think you should compare plots and settings; some think other elements and themes are also important. I suggest you read several opinions and make your own judgment call. I’ve included some posts below that I found helpful.
There are a few ways to write about comp titles. You might write a brief essay that says, “if you like this book, you’ll like mine”, or “my book is like this other one, but with a touch of this other one.” You might say, “it’s like Book A meets Book B.” Another method is to list the titles and particulars with a brief summary of how each one compares to yours. Look at different book proposal templates and decide which method works best for your audience. Comp titles are often incorporated into the query letter. (See 6 Query Letter Examples, Analyzed by Real Agents & Editors)
When are you done? As an investigator, I was taught that an investigation is complete when the information repeats itself. I think that rule of thumb applies here. When you have enough titles to give a clear idea of your genre and plot line and themes, and when new books point you back to titles you already have, you’re done. If your search keeps helping refine your selection, keep going. How many titles should you end up with? At least 3, usually 5-6. So pick well!
Other helpful posts:
The Importance (And Subjectiveness) of Comparative Titles in Querying
Choosing the Perfect Comparative Titles – Reedsy Live
Comp Titles: What Are They and Why Do They Matter?
Comparative Title Analysis for your Book Proposal: The "How-To"
How to Write a Competitive Title Analysis by Nina Amir
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Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
