Querying book #2

[Nicole Wilson]

Janet Reid, aka Query Shark, a very well-known and highly respected literary agent in the US, posted this blog post about etiquette in querying your second (or other subsequent) books while book #1 is still out there. Though the aim is toward what to do if am agent has a full MS of #1, the advice in here applies to even if no one has book #1 and you want to query the next one. Good stuff.

http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2015/12/querying-new-novel-while-old-novel.html?m=1

 

[Jason Byrne]

I love her advice, her tone, and angry Jack Nicholson face. It seems wacky to me to try to sell book 2 before book 1 is out, but I guess you do what you have to do!

 

[Alistair Roberts]

My thoughts exactly. Anyone who waits to query, isn't likely to ever get an agent. It's a long long process, remembering barely 0.01% of submissions get picked up. Send send and send, then send some more. It's your life, love and hope, and effort as well.
EDIT: ISN'T... doh!

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Love her no-nonsense attitude and her respect for writers!

 

[Nicole Wilson]

I love her advice, her tone, and angry Jack Nicholson face. It seems wacky to me to try to sell book 2 before book 1 is out, but I guess you do what you have to do!

The justification for that is for series like mine where the books aren't reliant on the previous books to work. All they do is share characters (with some storylines that thread through), but book 2 is easily read without book 1. It's what I plan on doing sometime next year if Deception doesn't get a bite when I get The Grudge all fixed up from beta readers and writers groups.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Oh... that makes more sense. Mine is carefully-sequenced to an insane degree, and I was like, "well... okay..."

 

[Chase Gamwell]

The justification for that is for series like mine where the books aren't reliant on the previous books to work. All they do is share characters (with some storylines that thread through), but book 2 is easily read without book 1. It's what I plan on doing sometime next year if Deception doesn't get a bite when I get The Grudge all fixed up from beta readers and writers groups.

A loose collection is a nice series to be able to write. I'm probably going to turn my mystery novel into a series where the main character is the same, but the stories are different. You'd need to read other novels to get some backstory and insight into characters, but the standalone story lends itself to being independent.

I like that kind of series. It gives you the freedom to create new plot lines in the grand scheme of your story while being able to slowly reveal things about characters over time.

 

[Emurelda]

Good luck with your next querying round. Well done on having two to query. That's encouraging. I haven't clicked on link yet - having trouble with internet.