The Art of the Comp
By Greer Macallister | January 13, 2015 |
From Flickr’s TheBusyBrain
Today’s guest is Greer Macallister, a poet, short story writer, playwright, and novelist whose work has appeared in publications like The North American Review, The Missouri Review, and The Messenger. Her plays have been performed at American University, where she earned her MFA in Creative Writing.
Her debut novel, The Magician’s Lie–released TODAY–has been getting tremendous buzz. It was selected as a monthly or weekly pick by Indie Next, Library Reads, She Reads, Midwest Connections, Publishers Weekly, and People magazine.
Raised in the Midwest, Greer now lives with her family on the East Coast.
You can connect with Greer on Facebook and Twitter.
[pullquote]“Smart and intricately plotted… a richly imagined thriller.” People Magazine on The Magician’s Lie [/pullquote]
The Art of the Comp
Many authors resist having their books compared to others. Most of us are striving for originality, to write a book that no one else has written or could write. But there’s an art to coming up with the right comparison (“comp” for short) that can pique the interest of readers. And comparisons in publishing are inevitable; why not be the first out of the gate with the right one?
My book, The Magician’s Lie (out today!) is about a famous female illusionist in 1905 who comes under suspicion for murder. So yes, it’s probably the only book that fits that description, and for readers who are particularly passionate about that time period, or magicians, or murder mysteries, that pitch might be enough.
But if I’ve only got a few moments to tell someone about the book – or if there’s only room in print or online for a single sentence – I might be better off using this comp: it’s The Night Circus meets Water for Elephants. There’s good reason to think that readers who enjoyed one or both of those comp titles would enjoy The Magician’s Lie as well.
(It doesn’t hurt that both were bestsellers. The Magician’s Lie could just as accurately be described as Alias Grace meets Carter Beats the Devil, but the number of people who’ve read both of those books is probably in the thousands, not the millions. You could also throw The Usual Suspects into the mix, but books are better comps than movies.)
There are dangers, of course. You never know how readers might feel about a particular title. My Goodreads reviews often cite one or both of the comp titles, but in very different ways. A few direct quotes:
- This really is a mixture of The Night Circus – the elaborate lifestyle, traveling by train for a show a night, the magic of it all – meets Water for Elephants – the darker elements of abuse and psychological distraught.
- Touted by critics as a novel for fans of Water For Elephants and The Night Circus, I must admit to being like many of Arden’s audience members, skeptical.
- The description of a mix of Water for Elephants and The Night Circus are what drew me to this title, and it didn’t disappoint.
- When anything tries to compare itself to The Night Circus I am hesitant. The Night Circus is such a hauntingly beautiful novel that holds such a special place in my heart that nothing ever seems to come close to touching it.
- For me, the first promo/review I read, comparing this book to The Night Circus meets Water for Elephants was a disservice to the book.
- While the book has been compared to The Night Circus, I liked it much better.
- I’ve seen this book compared to The Night Circus and Water For Elephants so I wasn’t sure what to expect because I loved Water For Elephants, but I didn’t care for The Night Circus.
And of course your readers aren’t limited to the comp you came up with. More Goodreads quotes:
- If you liked The Night Circus, with the feel of Downton Abbey, you’ll enjoy The Magician’s Lie.
- It reminded me of Carter Beats the Devil which I also loved.
- I enjoyed the homage to One Thousand and One Nights, as Arden weaves the story of her life, and was intrigued by the duel between these two characters.
- It evoked the same feelings I felt whilst reading Like Water for Chocolate.
- This novel is a concoction of The Night Circus, Water for Elephants, a splash of Downton Abbey, a pinch of American Horror Story: Freak Show, and a sprinkle of The Hunger Games.
There’s a healthy debate about whether comps should be used in query letters, and I think that’s a discussion for another day. But as a way to help potential readers connect with your book, definitely keep the idea of the comp in mind.
Do comps make you more curious to read a book? Are there some examples of particularly good comps you can share? Have you ever used comps for one of your books?
Raised in the Midwest, Greer Macallister earned her MFA in creative writing from American University. Her historical novels have been named Book of the Month, Indie Next, LibraryReads, Target Book Club, and Amazon Best Book of the Month picks and optioned for film and television. Her latest novel, The Thirteenth Husband, is inspired by Aimee Crocker, the Paris Hilton of the Gilded Age. Macallister also writes the ongoing Five Queendoms epic fantasy series as G.R. Macallister. A regular contributor to Writer Unboxed and the Chicago Review of Books, she lives with her family in Boston, MA. www.greermacallister.com
Hi Greer: What a fascinating post today. I’ve yet to find fair and accurate comparisons of books like your examples. As a reader, when a book is compared to another, I’m initially attracted to the familiarity (so yes, the advertising ploy works), but more times than not have learned not to trust it. The book hardly ever lives up to the same qualities or enjoyment promised because I’ve already experienced it with the first book. A reviewer once compared my novel Night Sea Journey to a Dan Brown novel because it deals with angels and demons, but my story is nothing like his stories, nor is my writing style. So, readers’ expectations are misguided. If the key to good storytelling is originality, shouldn’t we embrace our differences and pitch our individuality? I understand the marketing aspect of comparison for sales, key words, reader identification, riding other authors’ coattails, etc., which may initiate higher royalty checks, but I have to ask, is it really fair to the author (or publisher) to boast imitation or similarity as a quality? Is it fair to the readers?
Hi, Paula! Thanks for the thoughtful comment. There’s definitely an argument to be made that comps can do just as much harm as good, for exactly the reasons you name. If I say my book is like X but someone hates X, but they would’ve liked my book if they read it, then nobody wins. But to me it’s like offering someone an unfamiliar cheese. There’s no way for them to know whether they’ll like it. But if I tell them it’s like brie, and they love brie, then yay! They’ll probably be willing to try. The only thing I think is dishonest is if it’s actually not like brie at all and I only tell people that because I know a lot of people like brie.
Also, now I want some brie.
Greer-
Your post made me chuckle. Comps is a daily art form at my literary agency. We discuss them constantly.
Just when I hit on one that works for me, my staff recoils and raises their palms in the air in unison, crying in horror, “Noooo!” And another comp bites the dust.
Now, The Magician’s Lie is very, very high on my reading list. Why am I so looking forward to it? How did I first get interested?
You’ve got “magician” in the title. Bingo. Works for me. Then “Lie”. Intrigue! Magicians’ performance is founded upon lies (deception, misdirection), so clearly your title refers to a different kind of lie. But what?
Then I read a review, I don’t remember where (perhaps PW?), but regardless the premise–a female magician who saws her husband in half appears to have actually murdered him–and wham. Hooked. Plus, the novel is set in 1905. Midwest. Love it.
At the Soucebooks booth at BEA this year folks were raving about it. Then on the Amazon page are blurbs from M.J., Erika and others I respect, though the most persuasive blurb is from a bookseller. Booksellers are fierce and opinionated. When they say they love a book, you know they’re not just trading favors. This book is real.
Then I sampled the opening. “Tonight I will do the impossible. The impossible is nothing new to me.” Zing!
Cannot. Wait. It’s funny, though…as I look back over the factors that have got me salivating, I notice that comp titles aren’t a factor. Hmm.
Publication day is Thursday. Congrats! And thanks for the chuckle. I’ve no doubt I’ll be driving myself (and my staff) mad over comp titles for years to come. Who knows, pretty soon we may be saying, “This will remind you of The Magician’s Lie.” Won’t that be nice!
Don, What a wonderful in-depth analysis. Thank you! You see this from a uniquely informed position as agent and author and reader, I know. And I do love the idea of someone eventually comparing their book to mine instead of the other way around, ha!
Greer,
Congrats on the release of your book; it sounds delicious.
I guess I’d feel okay with others (critics, readers) making comparisons, but I don’t feel comfortable doing it myself. For instance, to pitch my work and say, “It’s like this bestseller meets that bestseller” or that “I write in the same style as this bestselling author.” It seems a little prideful. I’d feel more comfortable with giving the best, brief synopsis I can muster to the people who ask what it’s about. And to be honest, I’ve always been a little disappointed when I hear/read “If you liked so-and-so, you’ll like this.” Usually, I don’t.
But I understand the need to do this, because I write and live in a world of comparisons and similes. Metaphors be with you. Good article!
ML, I see your point about not being the one to initiate the comparison. Certainly it can come off a little boastful. For me, the construction that does that the most is “the next” — some book is “the next Gone Girl”, “the next Harry Potter”, “the next Twilight”, etc. That does nothing for me as a reader because none of those books were “the next” anything when they came out — so anything labeled as “the next” seems unoriginal. Everyone’s got their pet peeves on this front, I think.
Yes. Not everything can be the next big thing. Oh, and you can call me Mike.
Greer–
It looks as though the stars are in alignment, and that you put them there by writing a great book–congrats!
For me, it’s not possible to discuss comps without relating them to my own work. I’m seeking an agent, and have the perfect comp for my new suspense novel, Deep North. Without presuming to comp myself with an acknowledged master, I still think the perfect comp for my own story is James Dickey’s Deliverance. I’ve turned Dickey’s premise on its head, and placed four women friends in a similar situation.
But here’s the rub: Deliverance is considered a literary, not a commercial novel. Deep North–I hope–reflects my respect for language and craft, but my goal is commercial: to write for a wide audience, without relying on formulas. This means that in comparing my novel to Dickey’s, I need to emphasize this difference. The jury’s still out on whether I can get away with it.
Barry – Great point! I don’t get into it in the post because it’s a little different, but this is one of the reasons I’d be wary of including a comp in a query — the right story match might not seem like a sales winner to an agent. For books that are also movies, it gets extra-murky. But heck, as a reader, I’d certainly be interested in a woman-centric spin on Deliverance!
Greer, First, I’ll be heading over to do some clicking on this title as soon as I hit send on this comment. Oh, never mind, I’ll do it now. Hold on a sec.
Okay, I’m back. All done. While it’s downloading, let me tell you how this intrigues me. My dad grew up on a farm not far from what was once considered the magic capital of the Midwest (Colon, MI – I know, unfortunate name, eh?). This was mostly due to Harry Blackstone Sr., who had a summer home on the lake in town. My dad (born in 1918) loved telling stories about how he and his brother and their buddies would bike to see Blackstone trying out his new tricks for the local kids for free. He also remembers frantically working to finish his chores to get to town on the day Harry Houdini came to visit, just to see him get off the train. Although this was a few decades after your story is set, I’m quite sure I’ll be traveling this one in my dad’s shoes. Throughout his years, he loved a good magic show.
As far as comps, I think I understand the value. I have an unusual one, too – an epic historical fantasy without magic, that perhaps reads more like alt-history, but hopefully evokes a fantastical experience. In the early stages, the only stories I could recall that were similar were not fantasies, expecting perhaps Zimmer-Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon. I’ve since found similar elements in work by Jacqueline Carey, Joe Abercrombie, and Guy Gavriel Kay. I think the comps helped me to envision where I would belong on the shelves, and I’m thinking that’s a bit of a leg up.
Thanks for the insight here. Best wishes for the book!
Vaughn, Great story! Blackstone and Houdini were sure the greats.
The idea of epic historical fantasy without magic intrigues me — sometimes our books can be defined as much by what they aren’t as what they are! Fascinating.
Well, you sold me. I loved Water for Elephants.
Congrats, Greer! Looking forward to reading The Magician’s Lie!
Denise (Dee) Willson
Author of A Keeper’s Truth and GOT
I create incongruent story expectations from comps, so I normally shy away.
Comps are great for readers, but of course they are used earlier than that, which Don intimated, as a way to sell your book to publishers. To me (perhaps because I work in publishing) that’s a useful tool and something all writers of book proposals will have to employ at some point. I think it’s easier to comp someone else’s book than your own. :)
I’m currently writing a manuscript in hopes of interesting a particular publishing house. Last May, I was fortunate to be in the audience for a presentation given by the associate publisher. She mentioned that she encouraged authors to use comps in their submissions. Your words are very helpful, as I move forward on this project. Thank you, Greer.
Thanks for an interesting article. As a reader, I love comps on books. I refer to them all the time. Sometimes I’m disappointed, but as long as I can see WHY the comp was made, I’m happy. I’ve even been known to refer to the book “Who Else Writes Like…?” on occasion. (A book that does exactly what the title implies.)
As a writer, however, holy dooley do I struggle with trying to come up with comps for my work. On one hand, there’s the “but my story is completely orginal!” aspect. On the other, there’s the “this feels like I’m bragging” aspect. Clearly I need a third hand.
Hi, Greer! Congrats to you!
I was wondering, why do you think it isn’t a good idea to use movies as comps? Is it possible that certain genres, like romance, or mystery, for example, could work well with movie comps, especially blockbusters?
I am just curious what your take is.
And anyone else here who has an opinion, go for it!
The Night Circus comp had me intrigued, but Don’s additions sold me. Congrats, Greer! Sounds like you’re off to a great start.
BTW, your book is on order at my library and already has 15 holds.