Agents and Publishers like to hear that a want-to-be author intends to write more than one book. If a want-to-be author intends to write only one, then they may fail to hook an Agent or Publisher.
I believe the intention to write a trilogy or a longer series would be a much more attractive prospect to an Agent or Publisher.
I have roughly outlined 3 more books in my series. I have the beginnings, middles and ends to them. I have written many ideas for the storylines and plots, but I have yet to add the working chapter titles and the key landmark events.
From the outset I intended to write a series of novels using the same characters. It is easier to write a sequel or subsequent books, without having to define the differences in your characters and their functions.
Detective stories with the same protagonist are a prime example. Why kill off good characters when you can recycle them? I believe that many successful traditional and contemporary authors would have been wiser to leave some of their characters in the ether.
Do you intend to kill your characters off?
Sorry david, I just gave your comment a thumbs down when i meant to give it a thumbs up!
Sometimes its needed to kill off a character, but for me I tend to make sure that it will progress the plot line. I dont like to be a murderer if i can help it!
agree with david, "surely the thing that agents and publishers are looking for most is stories that will fly off the shelves?" If your story is gripping, and a great read it really shouldn't matter if they die at the end. and you may find you want to reuse a character for a different set of books.
Hm this is interesting.
I have a folder full of book ideas. I intend to write them all - one day!!
My latest one is a "one off" story and, it has two many characters, and I intend for one of them to die. I don't actually want to kill him off, I've grown accustomed to him, but I do think it's necessary for the novel. So, I'm kind of hoping one off deals exist!
However, recently I've had a new idea, for another story and it's a trilogy... I have some many ideas, I'm not sure which to start first! Perhaps stick to what you know would be a good thing here, work on the story I'm most familiar with and its genre.
Fair comment, David.
'Surely the thing that agents and publishers are looking for most is stories that will fly off the shelves?'
Surely, if an Agent or Publisher has belief in a want-to-be author, then any contract would be a minimum two-book deal. Do one-off-deals exist for want-to-be authors?