Thursday, February 9, 2023

Comp Titles: Where to Find Them and How to Assess Them

By Peggy Thomas


One part of the submission process that I find awkward is coming up with comparison titles or “comps” for the one I’m proposing. It seems counterintuitive as if I’m giving the editor a reason to reject my book. Hi, here are four other books about ladybugs, so you really don’t need mine.
 
But if done correctly, adding comps to your nonfiction proposal can help you land a contract. Comps give editors an idea of where your book would fit in the marketplace; who would read it; how large would the audience be; and what sales might be like. It also gives them a sense of how your book is different than what is currently out there.
 

What to look for in a comp title:

1. Subject – Most of your comps will be in the same subject area. Comps for a shark book will  typically be other shark books. An exception would be titles that share the same style or structure, especially if it is unusual.

2. Publication date – choose books published within the last five years and still in print.

3. Publisher – focus primarily on traditional publishers and use trade books when submitting to a trade publisher.

4. Length & reading level – typically you should choose books similar in reading level to your title. An exception might be, for example, where there are no early readers on your topic. Then you’d have to justify why one was needed.

5. Popularity – choosing comps that sell well suggest there is a demand for more books on the subject. Check the rankings on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

 

Where to find comps:

1. In your research notes – if you’re like me, you probably read other books on the market before you even started your research. It’s a good way to check the viability of an idea. Has anyone else written about this topic? How long ago?  What was their approach? Etc.

2. Your library – I inter-loan all the books I can find that I think are similar, especially the titles that came out in the last five years.

3. Worldcat – although I love my library system, it is not as comprehensive as I’d like. This catalog shows me books that are nearby in other library systems.  

4. Book reviews – keep current by reading School Library Journal, Horn Book, Publisher’s Weekly Children’s Bookshelf, etc.

5. Amazon and Barnes & Noble – the “Look inside” feature sometimes shows enough to get a sense of what the book is like without having to hunt a copy down. For more ideas, look at the “customers who viewed this item also viewed…”  and “customers who searched… ultimately bought…”

6. Edelwiess. The book industry's platform to market, sell, discover, and order new titles.” It takes a little getting used to, but you can create a free account, search for upcoming books, and in some cases even see a review copy.

 

What to tell an editor:

Choose three or four books and give the title, author/illustrator, publisher, and year published. Then, in a sentence or two, explain how your manuscript is similar or different.

Consider structure and tone. Does your book have a unique format that sets it apart from everything else on the market? Or is it similar in style to a popular title on a different subject?

ALL ABOUT FROG by Rib Ett and illustrated by Anne Phibian (HopperCollins, 2020). Fans of this popular picture book would also enjoy my proposed LOOK OUT FOR LADYBUG because they are both written in a humorous, first-person voice.

What about your focus? Do you come at the topic from a different angle?

How about the depth and accuracy of the information? Have you included new research? 

THE MANHATTAN PROJECT by Adam Balm (Boom Boom Books, 2019) is a staple in school libraries. However, key documents have since been declassified and will feature prominently in BOMBS AWAY!

When noting the differences, please remember to be polite. You don't want to bash your competition. Someday, your book may become a comp title, too.

  


Meet the Author:

Peggy Thomas, a proud Nonfiction Ninja and co-founder of the NF Fest, is the author of dozens of award-winning children’s nonfiction and co-author of the only nonfiction writer’s guide, ANATOMY OF NONFICTION: WRITING TRUE STORIES FOR CHILDREN. Her books have earned the AFBFA Book of the Year, Gelett Burgess Award, National Outdoor Book Award, NSTA Outstanding Trade Book, and John Burroughs Award. For more information visit: www.peggythomaswrites.com

Twitter: @Pegtwrite, Facebook: PeggyThomasWrites

  

49 comments:

  1. Thanks for shedding light on comp titles and showing us some helpful examples, Peggy!

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  2. Oooo I'd love one of my books to be a comp title! I usually picture all those books together on a shelf - why would someone pick mine?

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    1. Someone would pick yours because you've learned from the best and perfected your craft and created a great book!! That's why:-))

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  3. My library system doesn't let me interlibrary loan brand-new books so I love Edelweiss and NetGallery for finding/previewing comps. I also love the Epic app for finding and getting those 100 pbs read.

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    1. Ooh! Thanks for mentioning NetGallery and Epic. Those are great resources.

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  4. Thanks for all the helpful resources to help find comp book. This is always the hardest thing for me.

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    1. I'm not anonymous, I'm Mona Pease!

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  5. Thanks for a great post, Peggy! Comps can be challenging and your ideas are helpful!

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  6. Peggy, thank you so much for your insights on this... so helpful!

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  7. PEGGY: THANK YOU for this comprehensive look into how and why to use comp titles. You've spelled it all out for us in an understandable and accessible way. I will DEFINITELY keep referring to this post to help with submissions. THANK YOU!!!

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    1. Thanks Natalie! Glad it was helpful.

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  8. Peggy, thank you for the tips on how to better explore comp titles. I literally feel ill at the stage! Your post is a keeper!

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  9. Hopper Collins? Lol! I do hope ALL ABOUT FROG by Rib Ett and Anne Phibian becomes a bestsellers!

    Fun post!

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  10. Great information about choosing comps! Thank you!

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  11. Comps drive so many writers crazy (including me sometimes) that this blog post is more than informative, it’s a mitzvah (good deed)!

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  12. Thanks for some great ideas on comp titles. they are always so hard to find.

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  13. Peggy, thank you for the information about finding and using comps. I didn't know about Edelweiss. Thanks! Also thanks to Jessica Coupe for mentioning NetGallery and Epic!!

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  14. Thank you, Peggy, for the tips on finding comp titles. I find that a difficult process and I'm sure this will be helpful.

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  15. Thank you for sharing the *what* and *where* for comp titles, Peggy.

    Suzy Leopold

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  16. Oh my, I am such a fan of yours, Peggy. It was reading your books a few years back that made me want to write non-fiction. This post is very helpful with an admittedly hard part of submitting for me. Thank you.

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  17. This is a great way to think of comps. I particularly like the idea of looking at similar structures found in books on different topics.

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  18. Great ideas. I'll save this blog post! Carol baldwin

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  19. Thanks for sharing! I've never used Worldcat. Your link didn't work for me. Here's the one I found - https://www.worldcat.org/

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  20. My stomach gets tied in knots when I hear the phrase "comp titles." This is a great, welcome post. Thanks for all your good advice.

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  21. This is such a great post. Thank you for the practical suggestions and resources.

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  22. Thanks so much, Peggy for the great info. I scratch my head alot about comps because the books that inspired much of my n-f history are old. This helped me think differently.

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  23. Thank you both for the helpful practical advice and the laugh that was needed today. I love your awesome comp "ALL ABOUT FROG by Rib Ett and Anne Phibian (Hooper Collins)"!

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  24. Thank you Peggy. There’s so much information and detail here. But I have to say I love the book about frogs by Rib Ett illustrated by Anne Phibian. I would buy that book just seeing those names assuming the rest of the book would be just as humorous and creative. Thank you for all this wisdom.

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  25. This is great, and yes, giving comp titles often feels like I'm either giving them a reason to say no or braggy--like I think my book is as good as xyz. I am online now trying to purchase your book ANATOMY OF NONFICTION but I can't find it for less than $75. Oh my! Is there another way to purchase a copy? I'd love one!

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  26. Thank you very much Peggy! Your suggestions will help me immensely in finding comps for my PBs. This has always been difficult for me and now I feel like it will be much easier. Bless you!

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    1. The above was my comment. Thank you again Peggy!

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  27. As others stated, identifying comps can be somewhat tough. Using your ideas will help.

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  28. This part of a proposal has always been challenging for me. Thanks for these great tips and especially for the sample comp blurbs you included!

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  29. Exactly the help I needed today! Thank you so much, Peggy!

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  30. Peggy, thank you for the wealth of information on tackling comp titles!

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  31. This is so helpful. Thank you, Peggy!

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  32. Thanks for writing on the topic of comp titles. This is MUCH NEEDED information!

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  33. Thanks so much! I am signing up for Edelweiss right now!

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  34. Thanks Peggy, you packed a lot of much needed info into this lesson.

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  35. It's good practice to see where the market trends are in NF PB. Your resources are so helpful to us newbies! Appreciate all you do!

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  36. Thanks, Peggy. I love to use the library's catalog locating current comp titles. It is always good to be reminded of other resources.

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  37. Great suggestions on comps and how to position them in your proposal!

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  38. Very specific information and much appreciated! Edelweiss was new for me.

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