Beginners question when dealing with Publishers/Agents

[Venusian Broon]

Hello All!

I've been lurking about this site for a month or so and found it a welcome oasis for an aspiring SFF writer in a desert of many lightweight fandom groups on the Internet.

I know I should introduce myself first, but I thought I get a question in to get the ball rolling.

I am currently enjoying writing my first SF novel, with an eye to see if I can get it published eventually. It will take some time - at least 6-7 months mimimum at least, probably twice as long if I am being honest. However I want to be quite prepared when coming to publishers or agents in earnest.

So, I believe it makes sense that when you submit a novel, that a publisher sees that you have 'more juice in the tank' and that you can provide further novels. I have, excluding the current work, 8 or 9 other ideas that I fully believe can be turned into standalone SF novels - no prequels and sequels or trilogies, and all set in very different 'universes'

So my question is how best to demonstrate this? Should I produce all nine in three page synopsis form, so that if they ask 'what else have you got' they will be pleasantly surprised when I give them the whole portfolio? Or stick to the best two or three? Advice and thoughts would be very much welcome

 

[The Judge]

Hello and Welcome!

Do go along to Introductions and introduce yourself formally, and you can be welcomed by the usual oddballs... er... I mean respected members...

Meanwhile, you don't want to land all nine on them at once, obviously, and I don't think you need to have full synopses for all of them, either. If you were intending to write a series, then I would mention that in the covering letter itself, and if the agent were to be interested in your work then he would certainly ask for more details -- perhaps an overview/short synopsis of the series arc, plus a more detailed synopsis of the immediate sequel.

With wholly different books, it might be a little more difficult. Again, though, I'd be tempted to raise it in the covering letter, along the lines "Although this is a stand-alone story, I am currently working on another SF novel and I have plans for several others. These are set in different universes but..." and at that point I'd try and think of something that links them. I'm told that the important thing at the moment is branding -- a publisher wants to know that he can market a writer under a brand. The more that links the disparate stories, the easier it will be to brand and market you. If you've the energy to produce good synopses for all of them, do so, but I imagine two or three would be enough.

Hope that helps. But you're right -- it's far too soon to worry about it. Get that first draft written!

 

[Boneman]

Funnily enough, I had a presentation at Uni yesterday from a publisher, which was brilliant, (except for the one teeny fact that they don't handle Fantasy and SciFi) and she said along the lines of: 'we want to see the finished piece that it may not be perfect, but are engaging writing that excites us, so that we want to publish it.'

I would mention that you've written other stuff, but I would not send anything else at all. Why? Well because she said, along with most Publishers that they don't read synopses, they put it to one side and read your submission. It's only if they reach a plot point they don't understand, they might reach for the synopsis to see if it's sorted out.

IMHO sending nine synopses would be disastrous - concentrate on the ONE you're sending and wait to be asked about other work, because you've mentioned you're prolific in your covering letter. And besides, if one submission arrives that has promise, but isn't quite ready for publishing without re-writing/polishing etc, you really don't want them to think that you're not capable of properly finishing a book, by sending them nine examples of the same thing.

And good luck - it's a long road, and you're firmly on it, by the sounds of it.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

If all they ask for is the synopsis, or the synopsis and three sample chapters, they'll read the synopsis before sending for the rest. But until you're established, only send a synopsis for the book you are selling them at the moment. Besides a brief mention that you have plans for other books, concentrate on the one story.

Later, when you've already sold them one book and they have an option on another, you can sell them a book from the synopsis alone, but right now you'll distract them from the book that is already written.

 

[The Judge]

If you've the energy to produce good synopses for all of them, do so, but I imagine two or three would be enough.

Re-reading my post, it occurs to me that this might be read as meaning those synopses should be sent with the covering letter, which isn't what I intended. Have them ready, certainly, if you like to get things done in advance, but only send them if/when the agent asks for more information about the other books. Until then, as Boneman and Teresa say, concentrate on the present one.

 

[Venusian Broon]

Many thanks for the replies,

You are all of course all correct, if I don't get the first hurdle right, then it doesn't matter what delights I can provide after that. I suppose I am too concerned right now on how to market myself in the best possible light - and knowing that I have a lot of output that I potentially can do should be a benefit. But as Boneman and Teresa point out, its easy to turn such an advantage into a quick turn-off for a publisher.

Possibly it would be best to allow myself to 'synopsise' one next novel and get it in good shape, while mostly concentrating on the novel on hand. I know for a fact that I will have off-days writing the novel, so I find it's good to have a number of short side-projects hanging around that can help recharge my writing batteries.

The brand issue is an interesting point that I haven't thought about and something I will have to think long and hard about. The ideas I have that are novel length are practically all SF (but of quite different shades) and all my short stories I've written have been variously described as either fantasy, new weird or slipstream. So I'm already struggling to pigeonhole myself. I have just been following my muse blindly when it comes to creative writing.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Worry about getting the first manuscript completed. The writing bit is only the starter - it's the editing that usually becomes most time-consuming.

But either way, definitely a good idea to have further novels plotted in some form. And once you start submitting your first MSS for publishing, start writing your second book if not already started.

 

[DaveWallace]

As an aside about branding, I'd note someone who was doing that long before it became fashionable to think in those terms--Mike Resnik. he has a series of science fiction stories, (really westerns set in space), that for the most part feature different characters, sometimes separated by vast gulfs in time, on totally different adventures, but set in a common universe and written in largely the same way.

So when you wanted to read one of his books set in that universe, you knew exactly what you were going to get, even if you didn't know the story or characters. Probably kept his fans coming back for more IMO.

And I'd agree with the others; a brief mention that you have the other story ideas, and that's it. Don't dilute your principle pitch.