Two questions on starting a sequel

[iansales]

I think that's a good topic for a thread by itself, but my thought is that it can't hurt to get book2 finished before approaching agents, to show I'm committed to the series, and to get some idea of how quickly I can write the other volumes.

Agents aren't interested in your commitment to the series. They're interested in good books they can sell to editors. And if an editor doesn't bite on a book, they won't take a second look, not even when you tell them you've finished book 2.

If you're writing for yourself, by all means go ahead and finish the second book. But if you're trying to get an agent, then you need something fresh and new each time you approach one.

And I'm saying this from experience. Myself and another writer were taken on by an agent around the same time. I spent four years writing the second book in a big fat space opera trilogy - the first book is what landed me the agent. During that time, the other writer delivered four different novels, one of which finally landed him a contract. I do not have any books published; the other writer has three books published.

 

[Boneman]

It does, but there needs to be a dot/period between absolutewrite and com. kudos to you for typing out such a long link tho!!!!

Dangnabbit... can never cut and paste the link. Thanks for the comment, but I'll 'fess up and say I did cut and paste from the site.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

This was really interesting, thanks BM. I'm also starting to wonder when (if I ever get the blinking edit finished) I do start to send out if I shouldn't list that I was a bookshop manager for a long time; maybe it'll show I have an understanding of that end of the business.

It's just that when we put ourselves forward for consideration, maybe it's not just writing experience that counts?

 

[Jake Reynolds]

Hey Springs, unfortunately, most of the time what counts is what sells and vice versa.