Comparable Titles “Comps” for Literary Agents—What Every Writer Needs to Know

Comps and Literary Agents – FAQ

• Comparable Titles aka “Competitive Titles” or “Comps”
• What Comparable Titles Really Are
• What Agents Look For In Comparable Titles
• The 3 Things Your Comps Should Do
• Myths About Competitive Titles
• How Many Comps Should You Use?
• Different Types of Comparable Titles
• Comparable Titles Example
• Competitive Titles Research
• Comparable Titles by Genre
• Comp Red Flags

Comparable Titles aka “Competitive Titles” or “Comps”

Across all book genres—adult fiction, adult nonfiction, and children’s books—one pattern is consistent: well-chosen comparable titles create clarity for literary agents and publishers quickly. They also create trust.

Many writers in the process of querying literary agents get confused and frustrated when asked to “include comparable titles information.” Not because it’s work, but because it’s hard to find detailed information about what literary agents really want, how they use that information, and how to choose comps that help (vs hurt) their odds of getting a literary agent. And, to matters worse, agents often say contradictory things about the topic.

I’ve seen comps from both sides of the desk: as a former literary agent who helped new writers land major publishers and hit bestseller lists (including the New York Times), as the Marketing & Licensing Manager for the book division of Blue Mountain Arts, and now as an author coach/consultant who’s helped 400+ authors get literary agents and/or traditional publishers. Below you’ll see the best way to choose comps—and present them in a way that makes agents trust you and want to read your book(s).

What Comparable Titles Really Are (And Why Agents Care)

Comparable titles aren’t a test of whether you’re as talented as a famous author. Comps are a market-positioning tool.

They answer the questions agents are silently asking while reading your pitch:

• Where would this sit in a bookstore?
• Who is the reader, and what are they buying emotionally?
• Is there a proven audience spending money on books like this right now?
• Do I know editors who buy this—and how would I pitch it to them?

When comps work, they do something magical: the agent can “see” the submission strategy and the shelf.
When comps don’t work, they do the opposite: they introduce doubt about category, audience, tone, and commercial awareness—even if your writing is strong.

What Agents Look For In Comparable Titles

Agents don’t just look at your comps. They look at what your comps imply:

• Do you read in your category?
• Do you understand the difference between adjacent shelves?
• Are you pitching the right audience?
• Are you making it easy to imagine submission targets?

A strong comps line communicates: I understand what I wrote, who it’s for, and how it’s different.

The 3 Things Your Comps Should Do

Think of comps as doing three jobs at once:

1) Confirm the shelf

Your comps should signal the same broad category and marketplace:

• Adult vs YA vs MG vs picture book
• Romance vs women’s fiction vs thriller
• Prescriptive nonfiction vs narrative nonfiction vs memoir (these are not interchangeable)

2) Capture the reading experience

Often, the best comps match vibe, not plot:

• tone (darkly funny vs tender vs tense)
• voice (lyrical vs commercial-snappy vs intimate)
• pacing (propulsive vs reflective)
• emotional payoff (catharsis vs comfort vs adrenaline)

3) Show “same, but different”

The best pitch isn’t “this is exactly the same as X.” It’s:

• “Readers of X will recognize the pleasure here…”
• “…and Y is the fresh angle they’ll talk about.”

The Goldilocks Rule: Not Too Big, Not Too Obscure, Not Too Old

Too big

If your comp is a cultural monolith, only use it if it’s really a perfect fit. If it’s not, it can look more like what you want your book to be
vs what it really is.

Examples of “too big” comps (in many contexts): Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Colleen Hoover, Stephen King, The Bible, The Alchemist, etc.

Can you reference a giant as a quick shorthand sometimes? Yes—but it’s best if you also have grounded, realistic book comps.

Too obscure

A comp no one has heard of doesn’t give an agent useful market context.

• Out-of-print books
• Books with no visibility, no readership footprint, or no recognizable publisher presence
• Self-published titles without clear traction (there are exceptions, but be careful)

Too old

As a general rule, agents prefer comps that reflect the current market.

• Aim for the last 2–5 years when possible.
• Up to 10 years can be fine if the title is still widely read and clearly relevant.
• In children’s especially, older comps can work more often (longer shelf life), but you still usually want at least one modern anchor.

Exception: one “legacy” comp can work if paired with a modern comp and used for theme/archetype, not as proof of current sales.
Some agents say your comps should be no more than five years old. Some say a few years. One says two years. That’s overly rigid.
Just make sure all your comps aren’t very old—you don’t want to look like you haven’t read a book in decades.

The Myths I Hear Frequently About Comps

Myth: “My book is too unique to have comps.”

If a book truly has zero comps, agents won’t know how to sell it.
What’s usually true is:

• You’re comparing at the plot level, not the reader-experience level.
• You’re mixing categories (adult plus YA, thriller plus romance) and don’t know which shelf is primary.
• Or you haven’t read enough.

Fix: Do more research if needed and choose comps by dominant shelf, then describe your unique element as the angle.

Myth: “Comps must be bestsellers.”

You don’t need blockbuster comps. You need:

• credible books
• clear market adjacency
• the right readership

Midlist comps can be better because they’re often more realistic—and more helpful.

Myth: “Comps must match the plot.”

Plot matches are nice, but they’re not required. Often, agents respond better to tone plus pacing plus emotional promise matches.

Myth: “If I name 5–10 comps, I look widely read.”

Usually it makes you look unsure. Most queries do best with two comps (sometimes three).

How Many Comps Should You Use?

For most query letters:

• 2 comps is good (most common).
• 3 comps can work just as well if each does a distinct job (category plus tone plus structure), and you keep it clean.
• 4 or more can also work but primarily if you’re trying to make clear that your book can be likened to comps in two different genres (e.g. a travel memoir).

Just be careful to make sure your comparable titles are relevant and focused in a small number of areas. If you get too broad, your query will sound like:

• “I’m not sure what I wrote.”
• “I’m throwing titles at the wall.”

Different Comp Types—and When They Work)

Book comps (your foundation)

These are the safest, most persuasive comps.

Author comps (use sparingly)

Author comps can work if you’re using them to signal voice or sensibility, but they can backfire if it sounds like a flex:
“For fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid” can be fine if you also have a specific book comp and your tone truly aligns.

Film/TV comps (optional extra, not a replacement for books)

A quick tone shorthand can help, but don’t rely on film/TV only—and don’t use a film/TV comp to compensate for weak book comps.

“Classic” comps (only with a modern anchor)

Classic comps can work to convey archetype or theme, but they rarely do the market job. Pair them with a recent title.

The Simplest and Most Effective Comp Formula

Here’s the formula I return writers to constantly:

Anchor Plus Angle

• Anchor = the clearest “same shelf” comp
• Angle = the differentiator

Examples of clean phrasing:

• “TITLE is a [genre/category] that will appeal to readers of Comp 1 and Comp 2.”
• “For fans of Comp 1’s [tone/experience] and Comp 2’s [hook/element].”
• “Comp 1 meets Comp 2, with [your fresh angle].” (Use carefully; don’t overdo it.)

Your goal is more to orient vs impress.

Individual literary agents will often say things that make it seem there’s only one way to choose comps and/or share your thoughts about them.
But there’s no single right/wrong way to go about it.

An Example Of How To Write About Comparable Titles

If you’ve written a horror novel, you might say: “My writing can be likened to Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Octavia Butler’s Wild Seed—though my work is faster-paced, darker, and replete with local lore, traditions, and superstitions. For those reasons, it’s also reminiscent of Japanese ghost stories and other regional horror with universal appeal, including some Scandinavian and Korean work.”

That type of information, communicated that way, shows you know your lane, your influences, and what you’re doing that’s different.

Competitive Titles Research

If you aren’t familiar enough with your competition to believe you can do a good job talking about comps, you’re not alone.

Don’t feel bad.

Do some Internet searches and look at lists of books in your genre that share similar topics, themes, settings, or structures. A little research goes a long way.

Identical Comps Not Needed

One of your best comparables might be a book about a different topic, but from a structure and voice standpoint it might be the best match.

Movies and documentaries can sometimes be useful comps as well. Even a long-form article about a topic can help an agent understand your angle.

Sometimes it’s advantageous or necessary to get creative, especially if you’re struggling to find enough good comps in your genre.

A nonfiction author might even use a novel as a comp if it captures a similar storytelling energy or emotional journey.

Genre Guidance: Comp Rules Vary By Category

Adult Fiction Comps for Literary Agents

In adult fiction, comps are best if they confirm:

• subgenre
• tone
• reader promise

Romance: Romance comps are especially sensitive. Romance readers buy very specific experiences. Your comps should signal:

• subgenre (contemporary, rom-com, romantic suspense, historical, etc.)
• tone (cozy, angsty, dark, witty)
• heat level expectations (you don’t have to label spice explicitly, but your comps often imply it)

Thriller/Mystery: Comps should ideally signal:

• pacing and stakes
• twistiness
• POV/structure if relevant (dual timeline, unreliable narrator, etc.)

Fantasy: Comps should generally signal:

• accessibility vs density
• vibe (whimsical/cozy vs grim/dark)
• scope (standalone-feel vs epic)

Adult Nonfiction Comps for Literary Agents

Nonfiction comps often do two different jobs:

1. Positioning comps: the shelf plus reader
2. Authority comps: the kind of promise you’re making

For nonfiction, your comps should answer:

• Who buys this?
• Why now?
• What’s the lens or framework?
• What’s the closest bookstore category, if it’s not general nonfiction?

Memoir: Memoir comps are best if they signal voice plus thematic territory plus emotional arc (not just the topic).

Children’s Book Comps for Literary Agents

Children’s comps should reveal:

• category (PB, MG, YA)
• age/reader level
• tone and read-aloud feel (PB especially)
• length expectations (don’t comp a 900-word PB to a sparse lyrical one unless the experience matches)

PB comps can be older more often, but you still want at least one comp that feels relevant to today’s market.

“Comp Red Flags” That Kill Queries

These are the most common mistakes I see consistently:

• “There are no comps; it’s totally unique.”
• Comps from the wrong category (adult comps for YA, YA comps for adult, etc.)
• Comps that contradict your genre label (e.g., calling it a thriller but comping book club dramas)
• Only film/TV comps
• Only mega-bestsellers
• Comps that are too old with no modern anchor
• Comps that reveal you don’t read current books in your genre

How To Find Strong Comps Fast

You don’t need a two-week research project. You need a repeatable method.

Step 1: Write your “shelf sentence”

One sentence, no poetry: “This is a [category] [genre/subgenre] about [core situation] for readers who want [emotional promise].”

Example (fiction): “Adult upmarket suspense about a marriage unraveling under a public scandal, for readers who want psychological tension with emotional depth.”

Example (nonfiction): “Prescriptive self-help about anxiety and identity patterns, for readers who want practical tools with a compassionate voice.”

Step 2: List 8–12 comp keywords

Think like a bookseller:

• tropes
• setting
• job/world
• tone adjectives
• pacing adjectives
• emotional payoff
• structure

Step 3: Use “readers also enjoyed” loops

Start with one known book that’s somewhat close, then follow the trail:

• Goodreads “readers also enjoyed”
• bookstore category pages
• publisher imprint catalogs (great for aligning shelf)
• library lists and staff picks

Step 4: Validate with the 60-second checklist

Before you commit to a comp, ask:

• same category?
• same shelf?
• similar reader promise?
• recent enough?
• traditionally published (or clearly visible/traditional-adjacent)?

Step 5: Skim smart, not hard

You don’t have to read 20 full books. Skim:

• description
• first 10 pages (voice)
• a few reviews (reader expectations)
• maybe a sample chapter

Your goal is: does this feel like the same customer would buy both?

What To Do If You Still Can’t Find Comps

This happens for three common reasons:

1. You’re cross-genre. Pick the primary shelf. Then describe the crossover as the angle.
2. You’re in a niche topic. Comp the audience and reading experience, not the niche fact pattern.
3. You’re high-concept. Comp the execution (tone, pacing, voice), not just the premise.

The Bottom Line

Good comps don’t make your book smaller. They make it clearer.

They tell an agent:

• “I know my market.”
• “I know my reader.”
• “My book is unique but not freakishly so.”
• “My book can sell.”

And in a query letter—where everything is about reducing uncertainty quickly—that clarity is power.

If you want to talk about the best way to handle your comparable titles for literary agents—or anything else—related to getting a literary agent, schedule a coaching or consulting call with me on my Literary Agent Advice page. I never met a writer whose pitch materials and/or book I couldn’t help make better—and I’d love to help you.

This article about “Comparable Titles for Literary Agents” was written by a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark Malatesta is the creator of The Directory of Book Agents, host of Ask a Publishing Agent, and founder of Literary Agent Undercover and The Bestselling Author.

Mark has helped hundreds of authors get offers from literary agents and/or traditional publishers. Writers of all Book Genres have used our Book Agent Advice coaching/consulting to get Top Literary Agents at the Best Literary Agencies on our List of Literary Agents.