Monday, May 10, 2010

Comparing Your Work

Are you working on your query or pitch? Have you heard it’s a good idea to compare your book to that of others so the agent or editor can really understand either your plot or style? Well, here’s why that’s not the best plan.

-If you compare your work to that of a best selling author, the agent/editor will expect you to write as well as those authors. While that’s a wonderful thought, most likely, it’s not true. Sorry. Best selling authors generally aren’t created overnight. They’ve had to learn the same lessons and face the same rejections you have or will encounter. By announcing your story is similar to a best seller, you’re ultimately setting yourself up for failure.

-Maybe your idea isn’t to compare your book to a best seller but to a recent release from a new author. Unless this agent/editor represents the new author, they may not have heard of them or might not have had a chance to read their work.

-What if the agent/editor doesn’t like the style or type of story to which you’re comparing your work? Will they read your manuscript or simply judge it based off their knowledge of the author to whom you’re comparing yourself?

Agents have been known to pitch their clients’ work with comparisons. However, they have an advantage. They have relationships with the editors they’re targeting and know what kind of books those editors like and don’t like. You don’t have this inside knowledge.

Your best bet? Sell your story on its own merit.

Where are you on your writing journey? Are you querying yet?

21 comments:

  1. Lynnette, well put. Why chance comparing yourself to a bestseller just to have an agent snicker and say 'oh, another comparison query'.

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  2. I will be querying shortly - just a few final revisions. Good advice! :-)

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  3. Lynnette, I think you're completely right. While I've seen discussion about this topic on blogs before, you make a sound case to stand behind your own work. It's much less risky than chancing one of the scenarios you have outlined here!

    Thank you!
    Marissa

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  4. I'll work with my agent to come up with a list of "comparables" when I'm at the proposal stage. Some good advice I've heard is not to look at this as a comparison of my writing to that of published authors but to view it as a list of titles that those who read my book might also enjoy. It could be that their stories are set in the same period or place or that their work deals with similar themes.

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  5. I never considered comparing myself to another writer until an agent (one who normally shuns comparisons) suggested I reference a couple of well-known writers whose books follow my structure: mystery/suspense, female penned American male MC.

    Because the agent didn't know of any American women writers writing this format, she thought the reference (NOT comparison) might help establish that there was an audience for my mss. I haven't done this BTW. She was right, there don't seem to be any.

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  6. I agree...I would never ever compare myself to another author in a query.

    BUT...when I attended a writers conference in March, I attended a Pitching Dos and Don'ts session, led my Kim Lionetti at Bookends, LLC. I was lucky enough to snag a pitch appointment with her, so I paid very close attention to her every word. She told us to know what published author your work is similar to. I made sure I gave that some thought, and I am so glad I did. In my pitch session with her, she asked me!

    But I don't think I would put that info in a query, unasked for.

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  7. I think I'll be querying until the end of my life. Happy Monday!

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  8. I don't think that any agent would expect you to write as well as any famous person you compare your work to. They will judge you on your own writing. But my understanding is that an agent needs to have an idea of what type of audience your book will reach, and that will give them more of an idea as to whether it's something they can represent well, or have contacts to promote.

    It will also tell them how well-informed *you* are about the market in which you will be competing.

    This is just my uneducated, unpubbed-author opinion, but I think that if you can give the agent some well-known comparables it will definitely help.

    If they aren't familiar with the book you are referencing, then they may not be the right agent for you, because that means they don't know the area in which your book would fall well enough. Assuming, that is, that you are picking something reasonable, with a large enough following to make sense.

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  9. VR - there definitely are American women writing mystery/suspense starring male characters. The first one I thought of was Lillian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who" series featuring Jim Qwilleran. That may not be similar to what you are writing, though.

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  10. Querying, querying, querying...

    I avoid comparisons for exactly the reasons you say; I'm afraid the agent will either sneer at my presumption or say, "Who?"

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  11. Whoops! Should have mentioned my stuff is dark and edgy. Nothing cozy about it. Patricia Highsmith is probably the closest and even she was more famous outside of the US than in.

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  12. I'm so near the end! Favorite part of the whole book too, since I know what's going to happen. :) I feel like I'm in on some sort of secret or something.

    I've never really considered comparing my book to another author's, so I guess I'm safe on that score.

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  13. I hard both sides of it, and this is sound advice against. Thanks, Lynnette. I hope to query late summer, and I'll take this into consideration as I get my stuff together.

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  14. *I've heard both sides of it...

    WOW. Is it bedtime?

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  15. Great post. It really is so very true. I think anyone would be turned off by a comparison. Not everyone has the same taste. While some might appreciate and may actually be able to see the comparison, others may not even give it a chance. Too risky, in my humble opinion.

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  16. I like your take on this. At first glance at your title, I thought you were going to remind us not to compare ourselves/our writing to others because we all have a unique voice and story to tell. Guess that's what you said, but with a specific message about the query process. I'm not querying. I'm just creating at the moment.

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  17. I think there is a huge difference between saying, "My book is a guaranteed blockbuster, a cross between J.K. Rowling and Dan Brown," and saying "My book is a dark, edgy suspense novel and might appeal to fans of Patricia Highsmith." The first sounds a bit ridiculous, the second gives the reader an idea of what to expect. I agree with Christine and VR -- I'd call it a reference point more than a comparison.
    An agent might say no because she isn't a fan of Patricia Highsmith, but she also might say no because your query is too vague and she doesn't have time to figure out what kind of book you're pitching.
    Bottom line as far as I'm concerned: do what feels right to you and hope for the best.

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  18. ooh i'm so glad you said this. i'm just not a fan of comparing my work to others. It strikes me as a bit too much like hubris (even though i know it's not) to make me feel comfortable

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  19. totally agree! You should still have a comp book or two in mind though in case the agent asks (mine did). And please be sure it isn't Twilight or HP!!!! :)

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  20. I think this is really good advice, though I would add that in some cases it can be effective to compare your plot to other plots ("TITLE A meets TITLE B") as part of the hook before you get into specifics of what sets yours apart.

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  21. I don't compare to anyone in my query. But I could should the need arise!
    BTW I gave you an award on my blog!

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