Comp titles (aka “comps”) are one of the most intimidating parts of pitching your book to agents and publishers — but they don’t have to be. In this session, editor and author coach Hannah breaks down a simple, repeatable formula for finding and using comp titles with confidence.
You’ll learn:
- What comp titles actually are and why agents and publishers need them
- The “Magic Madlib” formula: [Your Title] meets [Comp A] meets [Comp B], perfect for readers who love [detail from Comp C]
- The concept of “triangulation” — why your comps don’t need to be exact matches, just known baselines
- The 4 basics every strong comp should hit: same genre, same format, comparable sales track, published in the last 3 years
- How to handle “category killer” comps (think Harry Potter or The Body Keeps the Score) without overreaching
- Real comp examples pulled from published book descriptions and blurbs
- What to do when your perfect comp is older than 3 years, or you’re stuck thinking “nothing is like my book”
Whether you’re drafting a query letter, a book proposal, or just prepping for pitch season, this class gives you a practical framework to describe your book in a way that sparks curiosity — without spending hours down a comp title rabbit hole.
Hannah is a freelance editor, collaborator, and author coach specializing in practical nonfiction. Before going independent, she worked in-house at HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette Book Group.
About Editor Hannah Robinson
Hannah Robinson is a freelance collaborator and author coach with more than a decade of editorial experience. As an in-house Editor, she worked at HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette Book Group, where she published award-winning and best-selling nonfiction, including *Stop Self-Sabotage, The Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living with Less, Quitting: A Life Strategy, Moving On Doesn’t Mean Letting Go, Spiritual Anatomy*, and *Gender Magic.*
She has a reputation for publishing radically practical titles for diverse readerships, and throughout her career she has championed thought leaders, academics, and experts who want to share their stories and help readers live their best possible life—whatever that looks like for them.
These days, she helps authors nail their proposals, hone their manuscripts, and elevate their platforms to share their ideas with the world. Her authors know her to be a compassionate, clear-eyed guide, pushing them to create the best version of their book.
Hannah is a graduate of the University of Portland, where she earned a BA in English and Spanish. She also holds a Gold Level Certification from NYU in Fundamentals of Copyediting and Proofreading Books. When she’s not editing, you’ll find her in the kitchen or out for a walk.
Let’s work together! Hannah specializes in narrative and practical nonfiction, including: self-help, psychology and social psychology, mental health, relationships, physical wellbeing, lifestyle, how-to, business and leadership, communication, personal finance, pop science, gift books, cookbooks, travel, parenting, and memoir.
Featured On the Show:
- Join our Facebook group. It is full of supportive writers in the querying trenches, plus live page critiques, Q&As, and more.
- Want more Manuscript Academy? Subscribe for updates.
- Feeling brave? Submit your query or first page for a chance of feedback from our guests.
The Manuscript Academy Podcast is free for everyone, and features interviews with top agents, editors and authors on the craft, business, and community of publishing.
The Manuscript Academy Podcast is published weekly. Subscribe to see all of our episodes first.
