Which is most likely to grab the attention of agent?

I think that what impresses agents most is great writing. Not all of us can produce that, at least not all of the time. We hope that part of what we write is impressive. We always know there’ll be polishing to do and that we’ll learn from the polishing process (think The Karate Kid: Wax On, Wax Off). But what else can we do to make our work more attractive to an agent?

One of the things I’ve moved away from is the concept of a standalone novel. I’d noticed that a lot of literary agents are interested in a strong series character. My 78,000 word thriller was almost complete before I decided that my main protagonist had a lot more mileage in his well-toned frame than one novel; that if he could carry on a conversation with intellectuals by day and carry a body through a cemetery by moonlight, then he could carry a trilogy. Now, as I send my manuscript to agents, I tell them that my second novel is in train. Let’s hope it helps build interest!