How important are comparison (comp) titles?
In a word: extremely. When you are pitching a book for publication, comp titles are crucial. They show that you are familiar with the market, that you are a reader, and that you have an understanding of who your target audience is. Your comp titles will be part of a pitch or submission, often in a query letter or synopsis.
Comp titles allow an agent or publisher to quickly get a sense of what sort of manuscript you have written. In this way comp titles set up expectations for the reader, so choose them with care. If you have two comparison texts that are very different from each other, for example, this could be confusing. One Australian agent says your comp titles can make or break a pitch – no pressure!
Sometimes writers are under the false impression that having books out there that are similar to yours is a problem. It’s not. It shows there’s a readership for that type of book. One writer I worked with had written a memoir about surviving stroke. In his pitch to publishers he cited three other memoirs on the same topic. He was picked up by the publisher of one of those comp titles; they knew there was a strong market for that type of story, and they knew how to market it successfully.
How many comp titles do I need?
Think in terms of three or four comp titles, although you may only need two or three. It’s not a bad idea to have a few extras up your sleeve as it can be helpful to include a title that is published by the publisher you are submitting to, or by a writer represented by an agent you are submitting to, if appropriate.
You can also be specific about why you have chosen a title. For example, ‘My work covers the same themes as… and braids together three different points of view like…’
How do I find comp titles?
It’s important to read widely in the genre you are writing. Start by thinking about the books that have influenced you to write your current work-in-progress, and the recently published books in your genre that have inspired you.
If you are struggling to think of comparison titles, you’ll need to read more. Ask your local librarian or bookseller for recommendations in your genre, and for your target audience. Read reviews and blurbs of new books to stay connected with potential comp titles. Do some hunting online for books in your genre that may have similar themes, or cover the same time period, or set-up, for example.
Don’t fudge it to sound good – you don’t want to set up false expectations. Make sure you have read your comp titles, not just found a summary that sounds like it would be a good fit!
Can I use movies or TV series as comp titles?
It’s important to have books as your comp titles, because it is a book reader you want to appeal to, and a book agent or publisher you are submitting to. However, you could also include a film or TV series if there is a very neat fit. I recently came across a promotional blurb for Ashley Kalagian Blunt’s crime novel Like Follow Die (Ultimo Press 2026): ‘For fans of Lisa Jewell’s None of This Is True and Netflix’s Adolescence, this shattering and provocative psychological thriller dives into the darkest corners of the internet and the powerful bonds between parents and children.’ (Note that the terms ‘shattering’ and ‘provocative’ might be relevant for a publisher’s promotional blurb, but avoid them in a synopsis.)
How recent or popular do the comp titles have to be?
The more recent the better, preferably from the last five years. You can get away with referencing an older title (from several decades ago) to indicate genre, but make sure you also include at least one recent title that sells in the territory in which you are submitting. For example, if you are sending work to an Australian agent or publisher, include at least one Australian title.
Your comparison titles may not be bestsellers, but if they are too obscure, or are self-published works that have not gained wide distribution or success, you’re not doing yourself any favours.
What if it doesn’t feel right to compare my work to that of well-known writers?
Some writers feel uncomfortable suggesting their work is as good as the work of a famous or much admired writer. A comp title isn’t about comparing yourself to successful writers, it’s about flagging the type of story and the intended readership. You can use phrases such as: ‘in the genre of…’, ‘for readers of…’, ‘for fans of…’,
What if there are no comp titles?
Remember you are not looking for a title that is exactly the same as yours, but one that helps the agent or publisher understand what type of book it is and who the readers might be. Be careful about suggesting your work is unlike anything else published. While publishers are looking for new voices, there may be a good reason why work like that hasn’t ever made it to the shelves!
Choose comp titles with care
Comp titles are not only crucial for you pitching your work to agents, but also incredibly useful for agents pitching work to publishers, for publishers promoting work to reviewers, and for reviewers communicating with readers.
Take the time you need to find the comp titles that feel like a good fit. Along the way, you will enrich your understanding of what is being published, and by whom, which will help you understand the market you are entering.
See also my blog Writing a Synopsis