# Choosing Comp Titles (it’s an art!)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/story-nerd-5321719/choosing-comp-titles-it-s-an-art
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/story-nerd-5321719/choosing-comp-titles-it-s-an-art.md
Podcast: [Story Nerd](https://stenobird.com/podcast/story-nerd-5321719)
Published: 2026-07-03T10:45:00+00:00
Episode link: https://valerie3v.podbean.com/e/choosing-comp-titles-it-s-an-art/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/43l8dtgvgyflk6op/d_5a89041c-c813-40c4-890d-a8e249ba1095_ecc02378-71a1-4297-8fb1-cd4d834eddb7_episodes_audio_group_9a115f20-0e7f-4eb2-ab7e-4a1b185753f8_group-item_3d2cfb03-87ff-4c1c-a941-5d03774b4d08_128_default_tc.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/story-nerd-5321719/episodes/choosing-comp-titles-it-s-an-art
Duration seconds: 2558

## Resource

What’s the key to choosing comp (comparative) titles that pique an agent’s curiosity? Should you use films or tv shows? What about huge bestsellers — would those make good comps, and if so, in which circumstances? In today’s episode, Kathleen and I discuss an upmarket speculative thriller and discuss comp title choices, killer opening lines and, you guessed it ... exposition! And if you want to read the query letters and first 10 pages writing samples we discuss in these Hook Your Reader episodes, be sure to subscribe to my mailing list. -V.

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## Transcript

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