Mentioning unfinished novels in a query letter

SpeckyBrunette · Jan 3, 2008

I'm halfway through my first novel and yes, I know it's early to be thinking about such things, but I guess you could say I like to plan ahead (or that I'm just curious!)

If you have a few other novels in progress or even planned, do you mention these in your query letter for your first completed novel? And if so, do you mention what they are about?

I've actually started work on three other novels (but am currently trying to get the first draft of this one finished as soon as possible.) All are in the same genre. When the time comes to write that all-important letter to agents/pubs, is it worth mentioning these or do I leave it out completely?

Thanks in advance!

melaniehoo · Jan 3, 2008

You should only mention the finished work you're pitching in a query. Good luck!

allenparker · Jan 3, 2008

I left out the completed manuscripts

Concentrate on the first manuscript. You only get a few sentences to make the pitch. Use every single word to sell your manuscript. Once you have an agent, the natural order of conversations will lead to their discovery of the next novel, book, or creation.

just my opinion... it is worth what you paid for it.

Cathy C · Jan 3, 2008

Yep. It's only after an agent is interested in the first book that they'll want to know if there's a second. They WILL want to know (since agents tend to like a continuing stream of income...

), but one thing at a time.

SpeckyBrunette · Jan 3, 2008

Thanks a lot guys (and girls)!

HeronW · Jan 3, 2008

If you have a series going and you're pitching book 1 and 2 is done, let the publisher know.

ORION · Jan 3, 2008

Again - agreed. My agent and I didn't have a conversation about other manuscripts until she offered representation- and as it turns out my second book will be something entirely different.

Starbrazer · Jan 3, 2008

melaniehoo said:
You should only mention the finished work you're pitching in a query. Good luck!

I second that notion ;-)

Moon Daughter · Jan 3, 2008

I'm with some others here when they say just focus on the novel you're pitching. Other books are an entirely different query letter (or however it happens when a person lands an agent).

Prawn · Jan 3, 2008

Unrelated novels, no. Related novels? Maybe. I mentioned a second novel in the series in my query:

"While the novel is stand-alone, a sequel involving the same main character is nearing completion at 95K words."

johnzakour · Jan 4, 2008

It's probably best to stay focussed on one project until you've hooked an agent. Then once you reel them in you can say, "Oh by the way, I envision this as the first in a series..." Then you can see how they respond.

Bartholomew · Jan 4, 2008

Mentioning unfinished novels in a query letter

Don't.

Agents don't care and editors don't have time.

triceretops · Jan 4, 2008

My agent was blown away and took me on based on the first completed book. The last thing I wanted to do was dim his enthusiasm or distract him from that by mentioning the other four novels. He found out after the contract was signed, and was quite surprized.

Tri

JeanneTGC · Jan 4, 2008

Also, what one agent likes, another will not like -- this includes mentioning other novels in progress, other novels in this series, etc. I have the in-person query and short synopsis praises and critiques to back this up. Do the strongest query, and synopsis, you can, and then understand that, just like your novel, some will love it and some will not.

BTW, if you're meeting an agent or editor in person, it's a bit different. But overall, they want to know what you have completed and ready to go, not what's out there, still to be finished.

However, any published writing credit is good to mention, because it shows that someone found you good enough to print.

David I · Jan 5, 2008

It may be okay to mention that you are working on a follow-on.

I'd advise against mentioning other works you've completed that haven't sold, though. In a logical world, the fact that you had written a few other books would be to your credit; it would show you had dedication, and had some idea of the labor involved, and had ideas for more than one book, and had worked on mastery of your craft.

This isn't a logical world, though.

Mentioning unfinished novels in a query letter

SpeckyBrunette

melaniehoo

And thus we begin the edits

allenparker

Naked Futon Guy

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

SpeckyBrunette

HeronW

Down Under Fan

ORION

Sailed away years ago

Starbrazer

Moon Daughter

Prawn

Writing is finite,revising infinite

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

Bartholomew

Comic guy

triceretops

JeanneTGC

I am Catwoman...and Gini Koch

David I

Mentioning unfinished novels in a query letter

And thus we begin the edits

Naked Futon Guy

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Down Under Fan

Sailed away years ago

Writing is finite,revising infinite

Dangerous with a Keyboard

Comic guy

I *am* Catwoman...and Gini Koch

I am Catwoman...and Gini Koch