The Comp Title Formula That Actually Works (with Hannah Robinson)

Comp titles are second only to platform as the most feared part of a writer's journey--but they don't have to be scary. In this episode, editor and author coach Hannah Robinson breaks comp titles down into something writers already do instinctively every day: describing an unfamiliar thing by connecting it to something familiar. Hannah walks through her "Magic Madlib" formula — [Your Title] meets [Comp A] meets [Comp B], perfect for readers who love [detail] of [Comp C] — and explains the concept of triangulation, why your comps don't need to be exact matches to your book, and how to balance a big "category killer" comp (think Harry Potter or The Body Keeps the Score) with something more realistic to your own platform and sales track. You'll walk away with a repeatable framework for finding comps that make agents, editors, and readers lean in — plus real examples pulled straight from published book descriptions and jacket copy. Hannah is a freelance editor, collaborator, and author coach specializing in practical nonfiction. Before going independent, she worked in-house at HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette Book Group. IN THIS EPISODE: — Why comp titles feel so intimidating (and why they shouldn't) — The Magic Madlib formula for building your comp title — Real comp examples from published books and jacket copy — Triangulation: using comps as a known baseline, not an exact match — The 4 basics every strong comp should hit: genre, format, sales track, and recency — How to responsibly use a "category killer" comp — What to do when your best comp is older than 3 years — Listener Q&A: What exactly is a category killer? LINKS & RESOURCES: Manuscript Academy: https://manuscriptacademy.com Meet Hannah: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/hannah-robinson Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:20 The Magic Madlib formula, previewed 01:00 Warm-up: describing things using comps 04:10 Why comp titles matter 04:40 The Magic Madlib formula explained 05:00 Real comp title examples from published books 05:40 Triangulation: comps as baselines, not exact matches 06:10 The 4 basics every strong comp should hit 09:30 Make it your own: advanced comp strategies 10:10 More real comp examples 11:50 Wrap-up & Q&A: What is a "category killer"?