I have many short stories inside this fictional city i created. None of the stories will pan out to be a full length novel. Novella? Maybe, since i will spend a few extra time with developing the characters. But the story itself doesnt need to be dragged out. Now my WIP, follows 8 POV characters. Each POV (story) is written as a short story or Novella (since i will develop the characters more). The 8 POV characters story does not relate to each other nor connect to one another. Each short story follows different aspects of things thats taking place in these characters lives and in this city. Now the reason i want to put them all in one book because they all live in this city together and they stories takes place at the same time. Now i thought since they stories dont connect, i would have character interactions between the 8 POV characters. But im afraid that agents will look at this as a collection of short stories since they stories dont connect. Does this sound like a collection of short stories or can it work as a full length novel as long as the characters have interactions with each other?
Sounds like a collection to me. If you could weave in some over-arching story arc that runs through the stories and connects them, then I think you can make the case that it's a novel.
Steerpike beat me to the punch. I'd say collection. I recall this done in the 80s - one book I've been trying to get my hands on, a sci-fi called Mallworld I think does this. The setting is the only thing connecting the stories.
NOTE: It doesn't have to be something overt in terms of plot elements that tie the stories together. Just something to give it a connection. For example, in The Girl in Hyacinth Blue, possession of a painting over time is what connects the characters in the novel.
WOuld if one of the characters has a birthday ball and invites all the other characters to that Ball and everyone search for dresses and dates for the ball and at this ball drama in each character POV story comes to a climax at this ball. Would that work?
lol one last question, since im going for the open ending narrative for the book, is it ok for me to leave each character story (pov) off on a cliffhanger. For example, at the climax of the story, which will be at the ball, Melissa boyfriends finally finds out that the baby she is carrying is in fact his brother and she kept it a secret the whole time. Now, the resolution to that climax is the boyfriend decides not to tell her he knows the truth but instead suggest she gets an abortion. Melissa is conflicted between this decision because shes in love with his brother and planned on running away with the baby and his brother when the baby was born. Melissa POV ends with that cliffhanger of her making that decision.....( readers wont know her choice until the next book) Is that fine?
