Create a Winning Competetive Analysis

“Can I really compare my book with a bestselling author’s book?”

“Why do I need this? Won’t I shine the light on their book and not mine?”

“How many books do I need to compare and contrast?”

“What is a competitive analysis, anyway?”

These are just some of the questions I get while assisting my clients with the Competetive Analysis portion of their book proposal.

The CA is vital because it is used to prove to the agent or publisher that your book is similar enough to already published books that have an audience,
yet different enough to grab those established reader’s attention. It provides information on how well your book might sell in the same genre or market.
Publishers and agents love to see numbers, so the facts from a well developed, well researched CA can be used in your marketing plan which in turn gives you a better chance to get a contract.
Before you create you CA ALWAYS read the agent or publisher’s submission guidelines.

Here are a few tips to creating your Competitive Analysis

Research
Make a list of 7-10 books that tell the same type of story or give the same kind of information as your book.
Look for competing books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, BookDepository.com and other online booksellers.
Take a trip to a brick and mortar store or library to investigate what books are on the shelf where your book would
be once it’s published.  Yes, add a few bestsellers to the list. Note that traditionally published books by a larger publisher are preferred.
Stay away from self-published books unless they’ve sold thousands in the first year. Make sure the book was published within the last 5-7 years.

Obtain the following information from the books you chose to compare and contrast.
Title and subtitle
Author
Publisher
Copyright year
Number of pages
Format (paperback, hardcover, etc)
Price
ISBN
Answer these questions when you write the compare and contrast portion of each book.
How is my book similar?
How is my book different?
What promise does the author make to readers?
What promise does my book make that is different/similar from the other book?
How are my credentials similar/different from the other author?

Never criticize the other book or author.

Creating a professional book proposal takes time and effort. Many agents and publishers look at the Competitive Analysis and Marketing Plan first.

They want to know that the author is informed and ready to promote their book.

Yes, the proposal seems harder than writing the book, but I have total confidence that you can do it.

Stay the course, my friend. I’m here if you need me.

For more writing tips, check out www.seriouswriter.com/blog

Cherrilynn Bisbano is an award-winning writer.  She founded The Write Proposal after reading hundreds of book proposals with avoidable errors. These errors cost the author a contract or representation. As a former submission reader and junior literary agent, Cherrilynn wants you to succeed.  Her desire is to help you present a professional and memorable proposal.  She has written proposals for Paws for Effect, a Hollywood movie company, and helped edit many proposals.  As the previous managing editor of Almost an Author, she helped the website earn the #6 spot on the Top 100 best writing websites for 2018 by The Write Life and Top 101 Websites for writers with Writers Digest.

Cherrilynn hosted Genre Chat where she was privileged to interview expert writers like Jerry B. Jenkins, Cecil Murphy, Michelle Adams, Liz Curtiz Higgs, and Steven James.

She earned her associate’s degree in communications and continues to study business management.

She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. She’s published in many online magazines and blogs. Cherrilynn contributed to Chicken Soup for the Soul- Miracles, Breaking the Chains, and Heart Reno books.

Cherrilynn proudly served in the military for twenty years, earning the John Levitow Military leadership award.