Assignments with AI: Comp Title Pitch

In this sample Publishing, Writing and Media assignment, students practice creating and delivering a pitch for comparison titles (also known as comp titles) for a book. Through this process, students source existing titles with AI, then create and deliver a pitch to a classmate. 

AI Tool

Google Gemini - Deep Research

Summary: 

Students take on the role of an author and create a “Comp Title Pitch” for an existing book. The pitch is designed to help their publishing company understand the book’s place in the greater marketplace and identify opportunities for promotion. 

Assignment Description & Instructions

Task: Imagine that you are the author of a book one year before publication. Your agent has asked you to provide 3 Comp Titles to present to the publishing company to help with marketing and sales for the book. 

Step 1: Select Your Title. 

Select a book of your choosing. 

Step 2: Select Your Comp Titles. 

Use Google Gemini Deep Research to create an initial list of at least 10-20 potential comp titles. Gemini can help you source thousands of titles you may be unaware of. Resist the temptation to only look at titles you recognize. Make sure to fact check that all titles are indeed real!

1. Research these titles further and select your 3 comp titles. Make sure your Comp Title selections are: 

   1. Recent – published within the last 5 years 

   2. Realistic – it may be tempting to pick titles that have had massive market success, but remember those may be unicorns. Focus instead on realistic titles that still lend themselves to being a solid success. 

   3. Diverse – pick comp titles for different reasons (i.e. avoid picking 3 comp titles for the same reason). Consider voice, plot, demographic, etc. 

2. A note on AI: I encourage you to take advantage of AI tools to help you source your long list and brainstorm pitching ideas. I expect you to use discretion here though. Remember that LLMs rely heavily on statistics and probability - so extremely popular hits (such as the Hunger Games or the Fourth Wing) will likely be suggested to you. But remember that this is an exercise in realistic pitching. Go for the more nuanced, professional choices.  

Step 3: Create Your Pitch Deck. 

Create a 4-slide pitch deck. Briefly describe your chosen title, and then explain why you selected your Comp Titles. For each Comp Title, you should provide 3-5 bullet points on why you selected it as a Comp Title for your selected work. 

1. Slide 1: Your chosen title, details, and a catchy tagline or hook that the marketing team might want to see 

2. Slide 2: Comp Title 1 

3. Slide 3: Comp Title 2 

4. Slide 4: Comp Title 3 

Step 4: Deliver Your Pitch to Classmate

Meet with a classmate and present your pitches. Provide each other with feedback on the effectiveness of the deck and the delivery of pitch.

Submission Requirements

• Pitch deck 

• Peer review and feedback

• Conversation transcript with Google Gemini

Options for Adaptations 

• In Class: Turn this into an in-class activity - could be full class or small groups. 

• Critiquing: Ask students to critique the output of Google Gemini for one book. Prompt them to think about what an LLM would miss - what kinds of authors or genres are being presented, who is NOT being presented, and why popular books are not good for the purposes of a Comp Pitch 

Contact the Nexus team at nexus@nyu.edu for assistance setting up this assignment or adapting it for your course.