When I’m coaching my clients on how to make their book proposals stand out, I suggest they add a section called “Key Selling Points” after the “Overview” section. Here are some tops on how to do that effectively:

• Put on your marketing hat: Tell the acquiring editor why the reader will buy your book
• List 5+ talking points that make a case for why your book will sell well, and why it will appeal to the reader.
• Choose thoughtful, relevant points, facts, and data, explaining why this book is perfect for this moment in time.
• Explain how the book taps into the current cultural zeitgeist.
• If marketing isn’t your thing, ask a trusted friend who can look at your work from a different lens.

Here’s an example from a book I sold successfully called Street Cats and Where to Find Them by Jeff Bogle:

What makes this book an excellent choice right now:

• Over 46 million American households have cats and most of those households have at least two.
• Travel aspirations are booming post-pandemic and 95% of Americans have travel plans over the next 12–18 months.
• This book will have wide retail appeal from traditional bookstores in the travel, pet, and gift sections to big box pet stores, cat cafés, and pet shelter or veterinary gift shops.
• Thanks to bright, bold, and up-close street photography and personal narratives told with humor and love, this book is ideal for armchair travelers or those with solid travel plans alike.

Used effectively, adding Key Selling Points to your book proposal will help editors make a case for your book in the acquisitions meetings where the decisions get made to greenlight a traditionally published book. The more thought you put into it, the easier their job will be.

If you are an author working on a book proposal, you may have heard about a mysterious concept called “comps.” Maybe you’ve wondered what they are and why you need them? Here is a breakdown.

What are Comps?

• Otherwise known as “Comparable Titles”
• Books might be shelved alongside your book at a bookstore
• Books intended for the same audience and have similar content, theme, or structure as your book
• Publishing paradox: publishers want your idea to be at at once unlike anything they’ve seen before, and exactly like something that has been published successfully in the past

Why List Comps in a Book Proposal?

• Shows the agent or editor that you understand the publishing marketplace
• Helps the agent or editor by by doing some of the research for them ahead of time
• Shows respect for the agent or editor’s time
• Shows you’re serious about being an author
• Reveals your competitive advantage—how your book stands out in the crowd

How do you Find Comps?

• Go to the library or bookstore
• Ask others in the industry
• Search online sources
• Look on Goodreads or other review site
• Ask people you trust on social media
• Experiment with AI (just make sure you verify!)

Comp Title Checklist

• DO Supply 3 to 5 similar books published in the last 5 years. Books older than that, even if relevant, will be ignored by editors and agents.
• DO list the product info including: Title, Author, Publisher, Pub month and year, Page count, Binding (paperback or hardcover), Retail price.
• DO provide a book description (can lift from Amazon)
• DO Explain how your book is similar/different/better.
• DO Provide a cover image
• DON’T: Compare your book to a best-selling titles (unless you are the best-selling author yourself)

The number one thing never to say is, “There’s nothing like my book ever written before.” If you’re really struggling, try to find one dimension of your book that compares to another book. Once you become comfortable with finding comps for your book, the task gets easier. And you’ll look like a smart cookie for trying!

When I meet new people, inevitably I get the question, “What do you do for a living?” When I tell them “Literary Agent,” I’m often met with blank stares, as I realize that many people don’t know what that means. Perhaps you don’t either? Here are seven top qualities shared by our kind.

ONE | Literary Agents are Gatekeepers.

At the simplest level, many traditional publishers will only work with authors who have professional representation. Working with a literary agent help authors get their proverbial foot in the door, especially at the more prestigious publishing houses.

TWO | Literary Agents are Researchers.

There are hundreds of publishers in the US and abroad and many different acquiring editors at each house. Presses open and close, editors move on or retire, new ones join, and each has his, her, or their specialty. Much of an agent’s time is spent actively keeping tabs on all the moves and preferences of each editor

THREE | Literary Agents are Matchmakers.

Literary agents spend a lot of time getting to know acquisitions editors personally. Editors frequently send along detailed manuscript wish lists to agents that are updated each year. This knowledge helps the agent match their client’s writing style or story with the editors they think will like it best.

FOUR | Literary Agents are Teammates.

Having an agent means that an author has someone on their team to take care of the business side of selling their work so that they can focus on the fun stuff—writing and creating.

FIVE | Literary Agents are Interpreters.

A literary agent is knowledgeable about the language of publishing contracts, helping authors understand the legalese and looking out for red flags in the contract that aren’t favorable to the author.

SIX | Literary Agents are Negotiators.

A literary agent knows how to do the back-and-forth dance of negotiating, helping the author get the best possible deal for their book. Interestingly, it is not always about the most money!

SEVEN | Literary Agents are Cheerleaders.

Selling a book can be a long, confusing, and lonely process. A literary agent helps bolster an author when they are down and lend perspective on industry trends to ease confusion.

In contemplating this post, I asked some of my clients why they sought a literary agent. Here’s one of the comments I received that sums up everything so well:

“I appreciate having a spirited cheerleader, a brilliant navigator of the publishing world’s murky waters, a clear communicator who keeps me in the loop, and a champion who believes in the promise of my work. Sometimes more than I do.”