The Importance of Beginning with the End in Mind

Liz Alterman is here to share how to begin your novel with the end goal in mind and avoid mistakes she’s made. Plus…she’s giving away a query critique and an EBook to celebrate her newest release, Claire Casey’s Had Enough.

When we sit down to write a book, it’s typically because we feel called to share a story. That passion can fuel us as we draft those first daunting chapters and maybe even as we plot a detailed outline.

We often start off excited about the opening, perfecting it to intrigue and connect with readers. But I’ve learned (the hard way) that starting with the end in mind may be the smarter way to go.

When I say “the end,” I’m not talking about the actual dénouement. I’m referring to the end goal for your book. Knowing how you’ll pitch it to agents and editors, who the audience is, understanding your book’s genre, and where it will sit on a shelf can serve as a guiding light as you work on your story. I say this having written a manuscript I was proud of only to later hear that it straddled multiple genres (women’s fiction, romance, romcom, chick-lit) making it very tough to sell as publishers were unclear how to market it.

Author Jamie Varon, whose novel Charlie Quinn Lets Go will be released this fall, discussed this scenario on Savannah Gilbo’s podcast Fiction Writing Made Easy.

Varon acknowledged that as much as writers don’t love being “put in a box,” genre is vitally important.

“A reason you could be getting constant rejections is because your book might not fit into a genre,” she said. “And that’s impossible in the publishing industry because everything is based on, if you like this, you’ll like this. And you can’t do that if you’re not fitting into a genre.” 

Being told you need to “pick a lane” or start over can feel devastating. Fortunately, you can avoid these pitfalls by keeping a few things in mind from the onset.

Craft a Compelling Pitch

While writers shouldn’t let worries about marketability impede creativity and enthusiasm for the work itself, their story’s marketability should stay top of mind, noted Laurie Johnson, senior commissioning editor at Severn House.

“Is it commercial?” she asked. “If not, what’s going to sell it? The end goal for all writers and publishers is to sell books.”

Given that publishing is an extremely busy industry, it’s important to make the pitch as clear, compelling, and concise as possible.

“Editors/agents, booksellers, libraries, online retailers, whatever stage the book is at, all have very limited time to consider whether to buy a book or not,” Johnson added. “A decent pitch, that can grab a reader’s attention in just a few short lines, is essential.”

Put Comp Titles to Work

In addition to a punchy pitch, comparative (comp) titles can do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to helping agents and editors quickly conceptualize the work. Though it’s tempting to skip this part of the query letter, it’s crucial, agents and editors agree.

“Including comps in your query shows agents that you’ve done the important step of acknowledging that publishing is a business and then gone on to consider how your manuscript will fit in the publishing marketplace,” said Abby Saul, literary agent and founder of The Lark Group. “It is also such a great way of helping to set an agent’s expectations – and ideally excitement! – for your book before they’ve read a word. We’re not looking for an exact match but truly a comparable project or two; a helpful way to think about it can be ‘fans of [Title or Author] would also be fans of my book.’”

Johnson agreed and added, “Comp titles can help editors with briefing cover art, marketing materials, writing cover copy etc. It can also help plan where the book is going to sit in the market and if that meets their list requirements.”

The best way to find comps is to read widely in the genre in which you are writing, stay aware of recent releases, and ask for input from fellow writers and beta readers, Saul suggested.

“Another good starting place can be to peruse sites like Bookshop, Amazon, The StoryGraph, and Goodreads, all of which have reader- and algorithm-generated lists in various genres and subgenres,” she said. “Dive into those descriptions and from there build your own list of possible comps that you can then refine to fit your manuscript.”

Find something that speaks to the book itself and doesn’t over/under-sell it, Johnson noted.

In other words, steer clear of calling your book the next Harry Potter or To Kill a Mockingbird.

In terms of timeframes, books that have been released within the last three years are best for comp titles, but it’s not a hard and fast rule.

Learn From My Mistakes

When I originally queried my new novel Claire Casey’s Had Enough in 2018, in the comp section I’d written it “will appeal to fans of Allison Pearson’s I Don’t Know How She Does It and Liane Moriarity’s What Alice Forgot.” 

That query letter landed me an agent, who, despite her best efforts, didn’t sell it. 

I continued working on the manuscript, adding subplots that placed it more squarely in the women’s fiction category. Originally, Claire and her husband were still married when she attended her reunion and reconnected with a former boyfriend. I received feedback that romance readers wouldn’t root for a main character who considers an affair. So, I had Claire and her husband separate early in the story, which also added more weight to Claire’s ultimate decision to fight for her marriage or embark on a new romance with her old beau. I also added an intergenerational friendship between Claire and a neighbor who is in her seventies and focused a bit more on Claire’s parents’ health issues, which balanced out some of the lighter parts of the story. 

When I pitched to the editor who acquired it in 2024, I wrote, “This voice-y, high-concept Past Lives-meets-Bridget Jones tale will appeal to fans of contemporary romance and women’s fiction told with heart and humor.” 

Loving your book idea and writing with passion can get you to the end of the draft, but may not be enough to sell an agent or editor on your project. Like it or not, publishing is a business and starting with the end goal in mind can help avoid heartbreak.

To celebrate her new release, Liz is giving away two prizes.

One winner will receive a query critique.

Another winner will receive an EBook of Claire Casey’s Had Enough.

Back in the day, Claire had dreams. She was going to be somebody! Now a forty-something mom of three (four if you count her husband!), drowning in laundry and PTA chores, with a job she can’t stand, she’s finally had enough . . . A hilarious, heartwarming mom-com, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Fiona Gibson.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter above for a chance to win. We’ll announce winners here on Tuesday, June 10. Good luck!

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Liz Alterman is the author of the memoir, Sad Sacked, the young adult thriller, He’ll Be Waiting, the suspense novels The Perfect Neighborhood, The House on Cold Creek Lane, and You Shouldn’t Have Done That, as well as the momcom Claire Casey’s Had Enough. Her work has been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and other outlets. Subscribe to her Substack where she shares the ups and downs of the writing life (and cat photos).

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