As you can tell, there’s no real cadence to this newsletter. Things happen, and I write about it. There are some evergreen topics for sure, and I have those tucked away, but I hope you don’t mind getting two or three emails one week then none the next.
Anyways, let’s carry on…
Every so often in the publishing world, a Twitter storm erupts. It might be about all the editors leaving publishing or it might be a book that Twitter doesn’t think deserves the hype. This week, the storm was about a Twitter thread about comps.
I know for some of you, your first question is “what the heck are comps?” So let’s start there.
When you’ve finished your manuscript and your thinking about sending it to an agent, one of the questions they usually ask is what are the comps? Essentially, comps are books that are similar to the one you’ve written. The publishing industry uses comps to get a better understanding of your book, get a better feel for where they can place it, and get at least a ground level understanding of the potential audience of your story. Make sense? OK, let’s move on.
I’m going to assume you’ve read the tweet I posted above. Seems innocent enough, right? A writer and editor giving some advice on how to find comps. But alas, this is Twitter, and the Twitterverse doesn’t miss anything.
While there were many positive responses to Allison’s tweet, some people thought she neglected an important aspect of writers trying to find comps. Here are some of those responses:
You get the point. Lots of folks didn’t appreciate the tone of the tweet plus the fact that it disregarded BIPOC and marginalized communities’ struggle to find stories that represent them. Here’s what Allison said to address that point:
At Writers Are Superstars, we’re not here to bash, we’re here to learn. So let’s learn.
What can this thread teach us?
First lesson is that comps are important. They aren’t necessary, but they do make your manuscript that much easier to sell to an agent or publisher. And any advantage you can get as an emerging writer, you should take it.
The initial tweet I posted gives some good tips. For example, visiting a bookstore or library and thinking about where your book will be shelved. Look at the other books in that section and you’re likely to find a comp. Another good piece of advice from Allison is to look on your own bookshelf and choose your favourite books. Google that author and see what other books are in that category.
Scroll through the tweet and read the rest of her tips. It’s worth it.
OK, next lesson: All of our writing journeys will be different. We need to accept that but also need to respect it. When Allison wrote: if you say your book doesn’t have any comps, “you don’t read very much, do you,” it completely dismissed the struggle of marginalized writers.
As a Black writer, myself, it’s not easy finding worlds that reflect our own. I can only imagine what it might be like for queer writers or even writers who are disabled. And while I empathize with the fact that we’re talking about Twitter and it’s hard to be nuanced in short bursts of writing, I have more empathy with those of us who have felt voiceless for such a long time.
As you move forward in your writing career, make sure you’re sharing knowledge and leaving doors you’ve entered open for the next writer. I love writing and I’m infatuated with the publishing industry, but it has flaws that need fixing and some of those flaws are major. We - you, me, us - have the power to change that. We don’t have to leave it the same way we found it. In its own way, that’s what this Writers Are Superstars community is about. We’re giving you the confidence to lift yourself up by making connections you may not necessarily see.
I truly believe that writers are the foundation of most art and entertainment. It’s so obvious to me. But we don’t get the public attention we deserve. Writers Are Superstars is about to change that.
Anyways, like I said, we’re not about the drama. But there are lessons to be learned in even the most messiest situations. Hope you enjoyed this piece. I’ll be back again with another piece soon enough.