Pitching a series

[RoninJedi84]

I apologize if a thread on this already exists. I'm still in the early stages of writing my first novel, but i have the rough sketch of a trilogy mapped out. My question is when you are trying to get your first novel picked up, do you pitch the trilogy/series as a whole right off the bat, or do you wait and see if the first is bought?

If it makes any difference, i have every intention of getting an agent first to save me alot of time and headaches. Thanks much in advance!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

If the book is Fantasy or SF the publisher will want to know that sequels are planned. But what sort of trilogy is it? A long epic story divided into three volumes? (Send the completed manuscript for the first book and short synopses for the other two.) Or three loosely related books, each one capable of standing on its own? (Send the completed manuscript for the first book and in the cover letter mention that sequels are planned.)

With the agent, if you are asked to send a query letter first, pitch the first book and just mention the sequels in passing.

If you are writing outside of the SFF genre, I have heard that some agents don't want to hear that you are working on a sequel. Perhaps because they will only consider the second sort of series and it will be soon enough to think about that when the first book is a success -- meanwhile, they want to know that you are ready and waiting to revise the manuscript you have, as necessary.

I'd say it's not worth the risk to mention a sequel if you are writing mainstream or anything else that isn't SFF. But I do know that it is important to do so if you are writing Fantasy, since publishers want to know that you have more than one book in you.

 

[Menion]

So if I send them the first, and the other book that is planned is only using the same world not a sequel, that can wait, right

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Right. Under those circumstances just concentrate on selling them the first book, that's the most important thing, and let them know there are sequels planned, because that makes the first book more attractive. If they ask to hear more about the sequels, then you tell them; otherwise, no.