Sending Query Letters to Agents: Comp Titles

by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.

If you’re sending query letters to agents, you’ve no doubt heard about comp titles, or comparative titles. Queries often include comp titles, since they can either be a boon or a bane. Here is some more insight on whether to include them, and how. (You can find a previous take on comp titles here.) Let’s go over how to include them when sending query letters to agents.

Sending Query Letters to Agents: Are Comps Important?

Most agree that if you have good book comps, you should use them. If they’re outrageous and imply you’re the next Rick Riordan-Suzanne Collins hybrid, pass them up. They’re not going to help you, and they might also set the tone that you have unrealistic expectations. The goal of good book comps when sending query letters to agents is to show a sensible comparison between your work and someone else’s, ideally an author who isn’t a household name. To help you target your comps, you can provide justification for your picks—for example:

My manuscript has the quirky nature of How to Say Goodbye in Robot and the unfettered voice of Sorta Like a Rockstar.

Recent Book Comps When Sending Query Letters to Agents

It's preferable for your comp titles to come from books published within the last three years or so when sending query letters to agents. This not only lets literary agents and publishers know who you’re comparing yourself with, but also that you are familiar with current trends. However, don't be disheartened if your ideal comparative title is dated. You can pair it with a more modern comp, and voila! You've got the best of both worlds.

Writers sending query letters to agents should show an awareness of the current market. The titles you compare your book to should be applicable to your pitch. It's okay to compare your middle grade historical novel to a young adult comp, like The Hate U Give, but only if you explain why. Otherwise, there’s an obvious disconnect between the book you’re pitching and the comparative title you’re referencing.

For example, The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon may appear to have little in common with All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir because they have very different vibes. However, they explore similar social pressures that can be used for an unlikely crossover comparison. So explain the connection you see when sending query letters to agents if these are the comps you’ve chosen. As long as you are thoughtful about your selection and show why you chose the titles you did, you have complete freedom.

Comps and Similarity to Your Book

You can get away with using book comps that don't exactly reflect your book, as long as they share at least one aspect with your project. But what if your comp titles are too similar? You have to be prepared to justify your place on shelves when sending query letters to agents. This is a thin line you must walk carefully. If you're pitching a story about a disfigured girl whose mother hides her away during World War II and using The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley as a comp title … you might raise some questions about how yours is unique or better. It's better to opt for books that share similarities … but don’t exactly overlap.

Sending Query Letters to Agents That Reference Their Own Lists

Many writers customize their comp titles in a query to reflect books represented by the literary agent they’re querying, or the publisher they’re submitting to. They think this is a savvy move when sending query letters to agents or publishing house editors. This can be a beneficial strategy, but writers must remember that agents and publishers won’t want to promote another author or project that is too similar to something that exists in their portfolio.

When sending query letters to agents, make sure to include two or three comp titles. You don’t need more. I recently read a query with six comparative books specified. The writer had obviously done their homework, but they should have included fewer comp titles. Two strong comps are better than four lukewarm comps and way better than six comps that just happen to be in the same genre. It's more strategic to cite fewer books, so don't weaken your pitch by citing too many other works.

How to Find Book Comps Before Sending Query Letters to Agents

Read! Read like a writer inside your category and outside it too. It bewilders me when writers refuse to read because it affects their writing. It's fine to stay in an echo chamber, but it can lead to derivative fiction because the writer isn't aware of what's available. Exploring the world of books is a fun way to learn more about the publishing industry, find new authors, add creative elements to your own writing, and also find book comparisons that you can use when sending query letters to agents.

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