My book will appeal to readers... but why?

I understand you are all told to use comps in your query letter. Don't get me wrong. This is a great way to give an editor or an agent a feeling of what your book is like, without reading it, simply by connecting it to another book. There is a big problem that the majority of you, and I do mean the majority of you have, when it comes to comps.

You don't tell us why. 

Let's go back to writing 101 for a second. Remember the rule - SHOW DON'T TELL. You seem to have forgotten that. If all you do is tell me your book is similar to Julia London and Bronwyn Scott that means nothing that you throwing names around. 

"But Scott, I do tell the editors and agents which book so that counts, right?"

Absolutely not. Again, all you are doing is telling and not showing. It is your job to explain what it is about your voice or style that as similar to the other authors. Be specific here. If it is the layering of characters and subplots then go for it. If it is how you set your story in a small town and make it a character like Debbie Macomber then explain it. 

Right now, all of you are just wasting your time throwing these names and random titles at us. We want to know about how your book is truthfully, as the name suggests, COMPARABLE!

And by the way, if you don't have a comp or can't think of one, don't make it up!