Modesitt for a comp?

LucidCrux · Nov 14, 2017

Is Modesitt Jr. okay for query comps? He has a fan base, tons of books, and has sold quite a bit, but has always flown pretty far under the radar. Any individual book isn't very well known. He's a veteran of SFF, but I'm not sure that is enough to disqualify him. We aren't supposed to comp hits, implying unreal expectations, but I'm not sure if 3 million sales for a series of 18 books over 20+ years is unreal or simply optimistic.

waylander · Nov 14, 2017

What has he sold in the last 3 yrs? The market is evolving and what sold 20+ years ago might not get picked up now. Focus on recent books for your comps.

LucidCrux · Nov 14, 2017

He is still releasing books. His latest Recluse book was just released 15 days ago, and currently sits as follows on amazon:
- #7 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Military
- #17 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Military
- #20 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Action & Adventure

There is a #7 in there, but like I said he goes under the radar. Also, the top four slots in kindle>fantasy>military are all Sanderson.

(Actually, to be honest, Most Modesitt doesn't seem all that Military to me except for a couple fights in each book. No more than a lot of non-military fantasy. A couple of them would qualify, but it's more politics in most. :/)

amergina · Nov 14, 2017

I'd think he's a fine comp. He's still writing and publishing, still very much around, and known in SFF circles. He's a working writer (who worked his way up).

PeteMC · Nov 15, 2017

Sure, it's fine - Modesitt is part of the genre furniture, everyone has heard of him. You don't say if you're querying SF or F (Modesitt works for either) but either way I'd advise having a more recent debut as a second comp as well, someone reasonably but not breakout successful. I write fantasy, and used Sebastien De Castell as one of mine, for example.

LucidCrux · Nov 15, 2017

Thanks everyone, I think I'm going to go ahead and use him for a comp.

BenPanced · Nov 15, 2017

PeteMC said:
Modesitt is part of the genre furniture, everyone has heard of him.

He is? I have?

*trundles off to Goodsearch*

Modesitt for a comp?

LucidCrux

Write like there's no tommorowe.

waylander

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LucidCrux

Write like there's no tommorowe.

amergina

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PeteMC

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LucidCrux

Write like there's no tommorowe.

BenPanced

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