I Help Leaders Write Bestsellers and Writers Scale Their Businesses| Ghostwriter & Strategist
Here's a fresh take on the COMPETITIVE TITLES SECTION of your book proposal. I hope you enjoy! PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS. == -I'm the Ghostwriter's Ghostwriter -I care about raising industry standards and fostering a strong community of great writing collaborators -Visit my LinkedIn FEATURED section to 1) Set up a call 2) See my latest publication (as seen in the NYT and on "The View") 3) Visit my website 4) Read some of my articles
As one who exclusively works with self-published authors, I definitely learned something from your video, so thanks for sharing! But one thing that does translate across the self-published/traditionally published landscape is the untapped market. Run away if your book is going to be the first of its kind.! You always want proof that there is a market for your book!
Wally Bock
7mo
That may be the best short description of what should go in the "competitive titles" section of a proposal. Thanks.
Melissa Perkins
7mo
Repeat after me “the same, but different… the same, but different…” Great stuff, Salwa Emerson! When looking for comp titles, it seems like a good idea to pick books that were traditionally published, but what if there’s a super successful self-published book that’s similar, would you use it?
Dawn Kristy
7mo
Salwa Emerson, I agree. It is like “Show and Tell.” Your book shows readers they can do something better and you tell them how. 🍏 🍎
Lindsay Whiting
7mo
I include comparative analyses in my coaching for new authors... I call it "comparative", b/c it sounds less scary than "competitive". I had one client say, "I don't want to know what other books are out there...I want mine to be completely unique!" I'll leave that right there...
Kavin Prasath 🐘
7mo
Totally insightful Salwa Emerson Most of us are unaware
Matt Stern
7mo
Simple yet powerful msg delivered
William Hammett
7mo
Great point, Salwa. Some agents have told me that they want something groundbreaking, while others want a variation on a current theme, so to speak. You cover both here, and they are so important to a proposal.
Sherry Taveras
7mo
Love this! I’m curious, what do you think about hiring someone to write your book proposal?
Fiction development for millennial moms tired of delaying their dreams | Woo-woo spiritualist 🔮 | Elder millennial homesteader 🦋 | Scrunchy mom 🌱
7moI love the honesty of this conversation, especially the last bit about the perception of open markets based on the inability to find comp titles. Now, while there may not be a built-in readership, that doesn't there isn't at least a reader for the work, but it does mean that publishers won't take a chance on a book they believe will only sell a handful of copies. There's this perception that publishers want good writing and good books regardless of other factors, but publishers are companies, and they can't pay writers if they're not making money, so those super niche books are likely better suited to other publishing paths.