I am just asking in terms of why.
I also heard that trad-pub would select a standalone that they find to their liking in order to create a series, why do that? Is it really like that for most trad-pub places or not really?
I say this because I have an idea for a story that I can only see as a standalone, personally. The only way it could be a series is if there were two books, that weren’t thick and densely written, yet not too thin.
Maybe this is my ignorance of not understanding the industry beyond the surface, but I always wondered about the standalone part, especially if making the story a series will hinder things. What else is there to discuss when one book did that and more…maybe.
I don’t know much about trad publishing. There are multi-book deals and standalone deals… it all depends on whether you have a book that catches the attention of a good agent with the right publisher I suppose.
I’m afraid I haven’t made it that far in my journey, so I’m not sure. I do hope they don’t mind series tho, because that’s what I intend for my books, and I want to do the traditional publishing route if possible.
I’ve heard some publishers prefer accepting a standalone from a debut (first-time) author because it is less “risky” should it not sell as well. They may be more willing to accept a series from an author who has proven to be successful in the past, and so be willing to shell out more resources for those books.
Like alena says, it might depend on the individual publisher.
No publisher will force you to make a standalone into a series! I was relieved to see this was your query, because it is true that it is nigh impossible to pitch a book as the first in a series–you’re meant to say a "standalone with strong series potential."
The reason for that is simple–they have no evidence your book will sell well, so why sign you for a series if they can sneak their way around it? Then, if it does well, you get signed for more.
Very rarely authors are signed for multiple books at a time when something about the author or the writing says to the publisher that they’ve got lightning in a bottle. Never count on this!
First, people don’t want to start an unfinished series, in general, so having a 1st book out is something that could not get as many returns for being a turn-off, from the start.
Second, each one in the series loses more and more readers. Whatever you do, sales-wise, in your first book, just gut it by half for each one, and soon you’re at the point where it’s not effective to work on a series.
That’s the traditional view on all of this.
But it could take off like Harry Potter, or if you have a whole finished series, it may be a bundled deal to get it out.
You just got to know you’re working against inherent prejudices.