Guest: NAIWE’s Author Representation Expert Jen Newens

Identifying strong comparable titles is one of the most critical — and challenging — elements of writing a traditional book proposal. In this webinar, literary agent Jen Newens of Martin Literary Management will teach you both strategic research methods and creative thinking required to find the “comps” that effectively position your book in the marketplace.

Here’s what you can expect to learn in this class:

• How to balance art and science by combining data-driven searches with an intuitive understanding of your book’s unique appeal.

• Where to look beyond the obvious bestseller lists, how to evaluate whether a title truly compares to yours, and how to present your comps persuasively to agents and editors.

• Creative approaches to selecting comps that don’t naturally reveal themselves.

Duration: 1 hour, 1 minute

At different phases of her publishing career, Jen Newens has been an author, editor, and publisher, giving her experience in all sides of the publishing business. In her role as senior literary manager at Martin Literary Management, Jen applies her 360-view of publishing seeking out fresh, original voices and developing new and established talent. She represents both children’s literature, representing all authors from board books through YA; and adult nonfiction, with a special focus on food and drink, health and wellness titles.