querying about publishing a series?

Question

I know that to query for a novel, you don't want to talk about your planned series, or anything of that sort. You also don't want to come across as having the attitude "I have three books, take them all or none." I know each book can and should stand alone and can and should be queried as an individual offering.

BUT is it wrong to mention that you have other completed and ready-to-go manuscripts? (I know that each ms will need additional work, that ready-to-go is from the writers PoV only.)

Answer 1

(Why are queries so hard to write? We can write manuscripts with hundreds of pages, but not a single-page letter!)

I know what you're going through. In the query, you feel like you're walking that line between over-selling yourself and selling yourself short.

Anyway, from my experience, agents want to know that you're writing more books. They don't like to take on clients who only have one book, or who only plan to write one.

Here, I'll paste in an agent response I got recently. This is what she sent after requesting the full:

I'd welcome a bit more info about your writing goals and other projects you may have completed or are currently developing.

So, I'd say, at least mention that you are working on "other manuscripts." If the agent wants to know more, that's probably when you would mention your idea for a series.

Well, good luck, and don't forget to look up each agent and read their individual requirements. Some of them can get pretty specific.

Answer 2

You are best to work on the one first. You will make publishers and agents nervous. They want to see how your first book does. Believe me, if your first one does well, your editor or agent will be on the phone almost immediately asking for another. And you will be ready. Just sit back and hold on to them. Use the time to polish them up a little. You also will negotiate a better deal on the second two if the first does well. Pax - C