When you have several books written, would you recommend just pitching one or several in the same query letter?

[Guest]

Advice needed - if pitching an agent, when you have several books written, would you recommend just pitching one or several in the same query letter?

I just came out as a fiction writer today via new author pages on Facebook and Instagram, and while it is exciting, it is also absolutely terrifying.

I started my first novel, when I was pregnant with my 3rd son, and he's about to start high school. My oldest son is now in college, but my youngest son starts school this year, so it is finally time to seek publication after more than a decade of writing, rewriting and editing.

My first young adult novel turned into a five-book series, which then became part of a greater St. Augustine collection with four extra books that interweave with the original characters, but each can stand on its own.

I then have several additional novels written, but as always I'm constantly editing and improving on all of them, reading and educating myself, then editing again...but it's time.

What would you do? Pitch the first book or the series? The collection? And what about the other books not in the collection?

[Judah]

You need to pitch one book but towards the end mention you other works. Each agents have hyper specific wants so choose a book based on their preferences and make sure you follow their guidelines. I suggest querying about ten waiting about three months (the typical response time), revise your query and then send it to another ten, and so on. It’s a long process and should be lingering in the background while you continue to write. Congratulations on everything you’ve accomplished and good luck.

[Lynn]

Your bookshelf looks like mine! I would pitch one, but mention the existence of the others. Good luck!

[Gray]

Pitch your unpublished, complete MS.

Briefly mention your accomplishments as a self-publishef author.

Let them know you have another MS "in the works" as a sequel to the one you're pitching them.

Follow guidelines like Judah said above.

Also, smaller publishing houses WILL talk to you directly, so as long as you're researching agents, query some small houses, too. They're usually pretty specific on what they're looking for.