My YA novel- one book or a trilogy?

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Fasiris Fay

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Hi everyone!

I have a question. I'm writing a YA romance/adventure novel and it's sort of similar to the Odyssey in that my two main characters are trying to get home. It's a stand-alone book in that the characters do get back home in the end, but the ending is open ended so that it can continue on.

So I'm wondering whether I should query it as a part of a trilogy (which it will eventually end up being) or as a stand-alone?

The thing is this, I have enough ideas and plot ideas for a sequel and a third book, but I am concerned that if I market it as a trilogy then I will be given deadlines to complete the two other ones, which I don't have concrete plots for yet. But the novel is such that it can be read as a complete story and there is no need to read the sequels, since they're like...after stories? I'm not sure if that makes any sense.

But I'm also not sure if I'll get an agent easier with a trilogy or with it being a stand alone book or if it doesn't matter at all.
Does anyone have any ideas?
 
JamieB

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**Not an expert** But -

I've been through Query Letter Hell and read enough queries and the responses here to know that you only want to mention 1 completed book at a time in a query letter and when an agent expresses interest then you may mention trilogy potential.
 
MeganRebekah

MeganRebekah

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You can state in your query that this is a completed stand alone novel, with potential as a series.

Otherwise wait until you get an agent and then mention to them that you have ideas for a trilogy and see what they suggest.

Good luck!
 

Danthia

Ditto MeganRebekah. Mine was the same way. I said it was a stand alone, but could continue as a trilogy. In fact, I sold the entire trilogy because it was a trilogy.

For what it's worth, most agents try to sell multi-book deals when they can, so even if you had two stand-alone novels, you'll still have deadlines and a contract to deal with :) Might as well do it with a series you have ideas for already. You won't have to come up with anything from scratch that the editor may or may not like. You'll have time to write the next one if the first one sells.

Do whichever eases your mind. One book is all you have to worry about right now. An agent will want to know what else you have when they sign you anyway, and they can guide you on what to do next. If you want, you can write up a synopsis for the next two books. An agent will use those to sell the next books as she tries to sell the first. If someone buys all three, great, if not, you don't have to worry about it :)
 
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