Agent question

The general way to put that information in a query is to state that it is the first book of a projected series, but can also stand alone.

Jake Barnes said:

A well known agent said I should put in my query that the ptroject (a mystery) is the first in a proposed series. This has always seemed a little presumptious to me. Afterall, I haven't sold the first one yet. What does everybody think.

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I think the line "My Awesome Book is a standalone novel with series potential" or something like that is standard jargon. You definitely don't want to have a paragraph describing your plans for a 10 book series, but a simple line like that is not presumptuous.

Of course, the agent is likely going to judge your submission based on the single manuscript alone. If they like it, it's not hard to say "Hey, I actually have a series plotted out around this." In fact, depending on the genre, it might be the first thing an agent asks you.

zegota said:

You definitely don't want to have a paragraph describing your plans for a 10 book series, but a simple line like that is not presumptuous.

Of course, the agent is likely going to judge your submission based on the single manuscript alone. If they like it, it's not hard to say "Hey, I actually have a series plotted out around this." In fact, depending on the genre, it might be the first thing an agent asks you.

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Yep, have the next 2-3 novels plotted out, the agent may ask for that material up front if they're curious where the series goes.

Personally I find the simple unobtrusive line 'this first adventure...etc'
to be best.
Either that or nothing.

As Zegota above said, agents know if something has a series potential or no.