Challenging titles?

Feathers · Apr 2, 2007

In query letters there's always that section where you're supossed to stick in titles of others books 'similiar' to yours. But what genre do you use? For example, if you have a paranormal romance and you can't seem to find any books with bothe genres, which titles do you use? A romance and a paranormal? Whichever genre your books theme leans towards the most?
And how do you find a chalenging title anyway? Besides just scanning amazon and barnes n' noble, is there any way to effectivly find books?
And one more question: if your writing a novel, is it a no no to use TV shows or movies if the themes are smiliar enough?
Thanks everyone! I've been going nuts over this.

-Feathers

Toothpaste · Apr 2, 2007

Interesting question. I think the point in citing other work is twofold. One to place your book in a market which is useful for an agent, and two sort of prove you have read books and know books and stuff. As such I would recommend actually reading the books you are scanning on amazon. And compare your book to the book you think actually resembles it.

Personally I wouldn't compare to tv or film, just because well there is a bit of snobbery (unconscious or not) from the book world towards them (and vice versa) This is said by someone who is a huge movie buff and has based chapters in books on things from movies. Stick with books. And read the books.

(oh and Paranormal romance is a genre in its own right, not two separate ones, maybe you should start by reading some of those - that is if that wasn't just a random example, and then well, you are under no obligation to read them at all)

Feathers · Apr 2, 2007

Thanks Toothpaste--and yes, it was a random example (so maybe not the best one!

) My novel's genre is actually YA Sci-fi, which is why i'm having so much trouble; because Sci-fi is such a wide genre, and adult sci-fi is alot different then YA sic-fi.

Toothpaste · Apr 2, 2007

Hmm . .. I am sure there is YA Sci-Fi out there though, I mean I don't know much about it myself. .. why not start a thread in the Writing for Children section and ask for some titles to check out?

maestrowork · Apr 2, 2007

I think a writer should be well-read enough to at least know some books or authors within his or her genres. If you write paranormal romance, for example, shouldn't you have read at least a couple? Is there really such thing as "original genre" so original that your book is the only thing? It's probably time to go the library or book store to do some research.

Feathers · Apr 2, 2007

That's part of the problem. I've been reading alot on my chosen genre's, and so far the results are pretty scanty. I know how hard it is to be original nowadays. I've got to expect there's something out there like mine, and yet i'm having toruble finding anything.

(Toothpaste i'm a bit of a newbie here; is it okay to post 'help me' threads like that?)

Toothpaste · Apr 2, 2007

oh totally! That's what the boards are for - I'd go into the YA subforum and ask (it's a top of the Children's writing forum), I'll meet you there!

ETA: okay I just started the thread myself cause I'm a bit curious, go check it out!

ChaosTitan · Apr 2, 2007

Query letters do not require you to cite other books as being similar to your own, so don't sweat if you can't find anything that seems comparable.

I've read many debates on the merits of comparing yourself to other authors. Some agents/editors like it, because it gives them a good indication of where your book fits in the current market. Some don't, because a new author may seem presumptious by saying "My book is a sizzling paranormal romance in the vein of Sherrilyn Kenyon...." and it turns out that your book is neither sizzling, nor anything like SK.

job · Apr 2, 2007

If you can't find a title that resonates with your own work -- maybe find some aspect of a book or movie that does echo. "My protagonist is Gollum-like ... but Gollum as hero of the story." "This is a Bogart and Bacall relationship, but between lesbians."

Or combine aspects from two ... "It's Spock down the rabbit hole instead of Alice."

What this does is give the agent a shortcut to understanding your work ... but you're not claiming your story is like this book or that movie.

PeeDee · Apr 2, 2007

I don't cite. I don't feel the need, and I don't like it.

The bit that really bothers me (and I'm not targeting anyone in particular) is the "if I HAD to compare myself to someone else...." phrase. Because they've always got a well-thought-out list at the end of it. So it doesn't jive.

scarletpeaches · Apr 3, 2007

I don't cite either. I think it makes me look like a try-hard or a copycat...and a carbon copy is never as good as the original.

I don't want to be the next Adele Parks or Lisa Jewell anyway. I want to be the first Scarlet Q. Peaches.

Steve W · Apr 3, 2007

Hi,

I read an article recently from a publisher or agent or published writer... (no idea which, sorry, and I can't now find it) which said you should never include other titles. Your book and letter should stand up entirely on their own. The argument put forward seemed reasonable, if I could just remember where it was to pull the relevant section out or supply a link.

That said, I don't see why you should feel obliged to compare anyway. Instead of getting preoccupied with that, why not work on the perfecting the rest of the letter. Nothing's ever perfect, so spend the time going over that again.

Good luck with it.
Steve

jodiodi · Apr 3, 2007

Is it considered 'comparing' oneself to another author if you say, "My prospective audience consists of readers who enjoy such works as the Bumkisser, Pretentious Manor, and Deathknell series'."?

BTW, I know my punctuation is all screwed up, but I really don't care at the moment.

Garpy · Apr 3, 2007

I dunno, I think it's a case of how you do it. It helps an agent if he/she can quickly identify your pigeonhole...and one way of making that easier for them is to name a couple of books you consider yours to be like. But, at the same time it can sound very band-wagon-y when you do that.

So, firstly, phrase it in a way that makes the agent aware that you know it sounds slightly crass likening your book to another.

Secondly, you're wasting your time likening your book to another that is already old news. eg:

...my MS features a young orphaned boy who discovers he has hidden powers. My beta readers have likened SPOTTY WIZARD BOY to J K Rowlings HARRY POTTER....

Will Lavender · Apr 3, 2007

I don't think there's any harm in comparing your book to something that's stylistically or even thematically similar to it. The plots may be completely different.

For example, in a pitch I compared my book to Jess Walter's Citizen Vince. That book is about a small-time criminal who gets interested in 1980s politics; mine is set on a college campus in the present day. Yet I saw similarities in how Walter jumps between POVs, and I knew that that book had been nominated for an Edgar Award, so I used it to my advantage.

See?

Be creative. Be, um, outside the box. But explain why you're doing it: "I realize that my book is not exactly the same as [title], but the way that it is marketed could be similar because..."

And so on.

scribbler1382 · Apr 3, 2007

There's tons of YA sf out there. A search on google of "young adult science fiction" gets over 69,000 hits.

David I · Apr 3, 2007

I hate to suggest you be anything but forthright...

Well, on consideration, that's not true. If you can, sculpt your query to match your agent. Most have never said in detail what they like in a query, but a surprising number have, if you dig hard enough. Some want comparisons. Some don't. Some want hype ("a query needs to grab me by the throat!"). Some want businesslike calm and professionalism. Some want the voice of your query to match the voice of the novel; some hate that.

You can't always find out what the agent wants, but when you can you should craft your query to match their demands. The whole idea of the 'perfect query' is bogus. There's only a perfect query for a given agent.

Jamesaritchie · Apr 4, 2007

Feathers said:
In query letters there's always that section where you're supossed to stick in titles of others books 'similiar' to yours. But what genre do you use? For example, if you have a paranormal romance and you can't seem to find any books with bothe genres, which titles do you use? A romance and a paranormal? Whichever genre your books theme leans towards the most?
And how do you find a chalenging title anyway? Besides just scanning amazon and barnes n' noble, is there any way to effectivly find books?
And one more question: if your writing a novel, is it a no no to use TV shows or movies if the themes are smiliar enough?
Thanks everyone! I've been going nuts over this.

-Feathers

Well, paranormal romance is a solid genre in its own right, and a lot of paranormal romance novels are written each year, so you shouldn't have much trouble finding similar novels.

Challenging titles?

Feathers

emerging from the writing cave

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Feathers

emerging from the writing cave

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Feathers

emerging from the writing cave

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

ChaosTitan

Around

job

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

scarletpeaches

Steve W

jodiodi

Reflections of Reality

Garpy

keyboard monkey

Will Lavender

Everything is what it seems.

scribbler1382

Write For You, Edit For The Reader

David I

Jamesaritchie