What's a comp title? Well, it's a book and or author that are similar to your manuscript either by style or subject matter.
Okay, so picking comp a title is kinda hard. When I was looking for comps for EMERALD'S KEEPER, I dragged my sister to the bookstore and made her sit with me and go through stacks and stacks of YA books. True story. We were there for hours reading, and I left with the tallest tower of novels ever. ;)
In the end, my sister and I decided my style of writing and imagery best compared to Aprilynne Pike's WINGS, and Holly Black's TITHE. (Ha, even the covers are similar!)
Two, fairly different, yet still similar titles.
I foresee another trip to the bookstore to find comp titles for my WIP. I've never read a story quite like this one before, so it should be a fun hunt.
What are your comp titles? How did you pick them?
I haven't read either of those books... I started Wings but was too cheap to buy the book. ::blushes:: I will have to amend that mistake, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm... My own comp would have to be Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle Trilogy. I love Libba Bray, and it wasn't until YOU suggested it, Holly, that I realized maybe my own book was similar.
I used that comp in my query letter, and agents have confirmed the similarity -- it's A Great and Terrible Beauty with zombies. ;)
Funny how that works, isn't it? YOU suggested I read Libba Bray, and I made the connection to your book.
ReplyDeleteIt's like destiny!!!!!!!! Okay, maybe not, but it's pretty funny how things work sometimes.
I haven't read either of these Holly-- but have heard of them.
ReplyDeleteVery cool!
I love how you had someone help find the initial stack of comps. Comps are so hard, it's nice to have the support. *slides eyes over to Hubby and grins evilly*
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed TITHE, but I haven't read WINGS yet. Does WINGS share the same grittiness as TITHE? An agent compared PRODIGAL MAGGIE to TITHE, but the tone and spirit are completely different!
ReplyDeleteAbby - No. WINGS is quite different, none of the grittiness of TITHE. I think I have more Aprilynne's style of prose, but more TITHE's story structure.
ReplyDeleteSo, blending the two together gives a pretty good picture of the tone of EMERALD. In my mind anyway. lol
I struggle so much with comp titles, that it's awesome to see you look like you have yours figured out.
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading WINGS and am now reading SPELLS. TITHE is on my bookshelf, waiting.
I haven't read either of these books, but I heard wonderful things about Holly Black. Looks like you're in great company. :)
ReplyDeleteFinished Wings last week. It was one of those youcantreallycallyourselfayawriter purchases.
ReplyDeleteI haven't thought about comp titles that seriously. And every time I do, really big names pop up in my head. (There is an article in a 6 prefecture Japanese newspaper which may or may not mention a book I wrote being like LOTR.lol)
Oh, and the thing about using really big names as comps: it comes across as a cliche, even if your book is the next Harry Potter.
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to read Holly Black's novels for ages! I read a short story she'd written for a collection a while ago and loved it.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of going to a bookstore and reading a massive stack of books to find comps. I'm always looking for excuses to do that anyway :-)