Ask the Editor: Your Questions on Comp Titles, Multi-Timeline Novels, and Social Media Managers
Hi, writers and readers of Pagewake!
Normally, this is where I dive into storycraft and inspiration, dissecting plot structure or exploring the heart of character motivation. But this week, things are a little different.
My home (usually a rather tatty sanctuary of peace and creativity) has been temporarily transformed into a construction site. The landlord is finally replacing the old 1970s kitchen, gutting the entire room, the ceiling, the works.
So, with my usual working space in chaos and my access to tea dangerously compromised, I’m shorter on time than I’d like. Instead of trying to force out a sleep-deprived essay between the shouting and hammering, I thought I’d connect with all of you instead.
Last week, I asked for your most pressing questions about writing, editing, and the unique challenges of the speculative fiction world. And you absolutely delivered!
Thanks so much for sending your questions. Now, let’s see what we can build from the rubble.
Querying a multi-timeline novel
“How would you go about writing a synopsis/query for a book that has multiple timelines?”
Synopses aren’t my strong suit, and this question really proved that 😅
My instinct would have been to break the synopsis up by plotline—with one chunk for one timeline, another for the next, and so on. But as it turns out? I was completely wrong.
The best source of information I found was this video of two literary agents discussing this exact problem. Their recommendation? Write the synopsis in chronological order, cutting back and forth between the timelines and following the order of the novel itself.
Just keep in mind that we don’t need to include every detail, or mention every chapter.
I loved their suggestion to break the synopsis down, so that the first half page covers the opening quarter of the book, the next half page covers the second quarter of the story, and so on.
Focus on the journey of the central narrative, and follow the timelines wherever they go!
Choosing the right comp titles
“When is a comparison to a well-known author a helpful way of telling potential readers what to expect, and when is it a self-aggrandizing mockery of what that much more talented author has contributed to the literary world?”
Here’s the important takeaway: no matter how amazing and important your comp titles are, it’s never self-aggrandising.
Readers don’t see comparison titles and think, “This writer is claiming to be as good as Terry Pratchett and J.R.R. Tolkien combined? What an arrogant hack!” In truth, it’s the opposite. The bigger are comp titles are, the higher the chance our readers will have heard of them, and so the more effective they’ll be.
However, it comes with an important proviso. Our comp titles are making a promise to our readers. And (especially when they’re a famous or beloved story) we need to make sure our novel delivers.
Usually, this means matching the vibe, rather than the plot, structure, or characters.
When we describe our book as “Spirited Away meets Neuromancer,” that’s going to create a very specific set of expectations around our story’s themes, tone, and overall feeling. Chances are, readers will expect an eerie, whimsical, and even surreal mixture of fantasy and tech-noir. They might anticipate that the worldbuilding to be immersive, and for the story to deal with wonder, beauty, danger, and themes of identity, humanity, and technology or consumerism.
If our book actually delivers all of that, those comp titles are like a bright red neon sign that tells our readers they’re going to love this story and need to pick it up right now.
But if the connection is more vague, structural, or unclear? That’s when we get into problems.
Finding our ideal reader
“How do I connect with my ‘ideal reader’. Where are they hanging out online? It’s awesome to connect with writers and the broader reading community, but how to find my tribe?”
This varies wildly depending on your genre, but there are a few general rules when it comes to connecting with our readers.
We can start by thinking about their:
Identity beyond reading. For example, someone who reads a lot of crime novels will likely be fascinated by mysteries.
Passions and hobbies. Romantasy readers might gravitate to BookTok, discuss tropes in FB groups, or share fan art on IG. Epic fantasy readers might play DnD.
If you’re unsure about these things, find one or two people who read the genre you’re writing in, and talk to them. Find out what they do for fun, and where they hang out online.
There are so many different places where people gather online. Look at forums, TikTok trends, Reddit communities, and so on.
Once you’ve found the places your readers congregate, you can focus on becoming a valued part of those communities, or use the demographics to create a focused ad campaign.
Employing a professional sounding board
“I’m at the stage where I need to speak with a book coach for an hour or so about my book, just to get out of my head and get feedback. I don’t want to buy into a whole package and spend thousands of dollars that I don’t have. Any suggestions on how to find a knowledgeable person?”
Reedsy is the perfect place for this! Because of the strict entrance criteria, everyone there is an experienced professional, and there are no rules around how big or small a project needs to be.
Put together a query, be clear that you’re just looking for someone to speak to for one hour, and use the search function to select book coaches with experience in your genre.
They’ll respond with offers letting you know their rates and what’s included in their service, and you can go from there!
Writing in multiple genres
“I usually write fantasy, but my current manuscript is speculative fiction with some vaguely futuristic elements. How do I pitch this to an agent without limiting my ‘brand’? I think this WIP might be the one that could get me published, but I’m a bit worried I’ll get stuck in a genre that’s best for this one story, but not where I want my career to go.”
This is exactly the sort of thing an agent can help with!
I’d recommend targeting agents with experience in both fantasy and sci-fi, then querying as normal.
Wait until you find someone who expresses interest—so, after they’ve reviewed the full manuscript and come back to you. At that point, lay out where you’re at and what you want. Your ideal agent will know exactly how to help you navigate the different genres, whether it would be best to use a pen name for one or the other, and how best to move forward.
Look for an agent who responds with confidence and understands the demands and challenges you’re facing.
It’s the most important creative partnership you’re likely to have, so it’s in everyone’s interests to make sure they’re the best match.
The editing process
“I’m interested in figuring out a way to better organize my revision process. With so many macro and micro issues to evaluate and fix, I feel like I’m chasing my tail and generally making a bigger mess of my draft.”
- Amanda
There are a few different ways to approach the revision process, but here’s the one I’d take: start zoomed all the way out and move inwards. So, begin with the biggest and most substantial changes.
Step 1: Assessment. Read through the novel and make a list of everything that’s needed. Big changes and small. Whatever comes up as you’re reading, make a note of it.
Step 2: Categorise. Take your list and split it into three groups: big structural changes, medium scene/chapter-level issues, and small tweaks.
Step 3: Structural Changes. In your first round of edits, focus on the biggest issues. Character arcs, the overall story structure, significant plot holes, and large sections where the pacing is too fast or too slow. If this feels overwhelming, you can even break it down further: doing one pass for character arc changes, the next for plot holes, and so on.
Step 4: Intermediate Pass. Once all the big changes are out of the way, move on to that second list. Does every scene have a purpose? Does it start and end in the right place? Is there a hook at the end of each chapter that prompts the reader to keep moving? Is the dialogue, point of view, and character voice consistent and engaging? Here’s where we fix all of that.
Step 5: Micro Pass. Tighten sentences, eliminate filter words, and choose strong verbs. Make sure the timeline(s) make sense, check spelling of names and places, characters’ backstory and physical appearance are consistent, and so on.
If it helps, you could start each pass with the previous draft in one window, and a blank document in the other—copying and pasting bits across, and moving things around as you go.
All of that said, this is just one option. If you find it doesn’t work for you, don’t be afraid to research alternatives, adapt, and adjust course accordingly!
Successful developmental editing
“I want to better understand developmental editing, and that’s likely a big topic. I want to know the process, what it can and cannot do, and what successful results look like.”
I wrote a whole post about the developmental editing process that might be useful:
When it comes to successful results, by the end, the writer should be empowered and excited, have a clear plan for how to revise their story, and a good understanding of how those changes will help them reach their publishing goals.
Publishing & printing costs
“What is involved in publishing in print vs ebook, both paperback and hardback? I know you have to figure out the front and back covers as well as the spine, but what else changes and what are the costs?”
This is a broad subject, but here are a few things to keep in mind:
The main steps in publishing a book are: covers, layout, and printing.
Covers and layout will likely be different for each format. So, if you’re working with an artist, the package will need to include covers for eBook, paperback, and hardcover.
eBook is generally the simplest version, with paperback needing a “wrap cover” that includes the spine (calculated carefully depending on page count), and hardcover generally requiring the flaps on top of this.
Costs for covers can vary from around $100 for a simple premade cover, to well over $1,000—especially if you’re working with a well-regarded artist, and need multiple formats.
You can save money by doing the layout yourself, using software like Vellum, Atticus, or even Microsoft Word. Just be aware that each format (eBook, paperback, hardcover) has its own demands and requirements, and you’ll need to learn them all.
If you choose to pay for formatting, expect it to cost anything from $200 to $900, depending on the complexity of the layout and how many different layouts you need. eBook, paperback, and hardback will all need to be formatted differently.
There are two main options when it comes to actually printing the book: print on demand, or paying a printer to produce the books in advance, then selling them yourself.
Of these, most authors choose to use print on demand. The one drawback is that it can lead to expensive paperbacks (and especially hardcovers) for your readers.
If you employ a publisher to print books for you, you’re taking a massive risk: gambling on the chances of selling them all. It’s incredibly expensive, as you have to pay the full printing cost up-front, but generally means cheaper physical books for your readers.
Most first-time authors choose to go with a simple eBook and print-on-demand paperback to start with. You can always add a hardcover later on if the book is successful!
Social media managers
“Does it make sense to hire somebody to manage the social media side for an indie author, and if so, how do you figure out whom to hire and what that should cost? Several of the independent authors I read have very good email lists or regular social media presences, and I wonder if they’ve hired somebody to manage that or if they’re doing it themselves.”
I’ve been curious about this myself, so I did a bit of research!
From what I found, unless an author is extremely successful, chances are they’re handling their own social media.
A good social media manager is going to cost at least $500 a month, and paying anything less than that is a recipe for disaster. Best case scenario? You’ll get very generic content from someone who doesn’t understand your audience, and it could end up doing more harm than good.
The need for authenticity (and building a relationship with our audience) often leads writers to handle their own social media.
The one exception here would be if you’re doing a targeted campaign—for example, the 4-6 weeks around a book launch.
For most, a DIY approach is best: pick one or two social media sites, create content in batches, use scheduling tools to save time, and set aside 15-20 minutes a day to engage with your readers.
Thanks so much to everyone who submitted a question! It was a welcome break from the demolition, and hopefully you’ve all found it helpful.
My kitchen might still be a warzone, but my brain is refreshed, and we’ll be back to your usual deep dives with a brand-new topic in two weeks’ time.
I can’t wait to see you there!
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Thanks for all the answers! it's interesting for the one about comp titles, because i've heard a bunch of contradicting stuff. For example, some people say "neuromancer meets high school musical" isn't actually a comp title, and so you can and should use big names, to give a quick idea of the themes and tones of the book. But then you should still have actual comp titles: not too old, not too big, not too small, ... to prove commerciality of your work.
Do you agree with that?
Thank you so much for answering my question, Cae!!! I'll have to watch that video, it sounds most enlightening. Feeling far more ready to tackle writing it now!