I have a story creating an abscess at the base of my brain that I have to attend to. I want to write about the arc of a family's story from the mid sixties to the present. I want to do it in a series of short, stand alone, stories that tie into the overarching narrative as well. So, I'm looking for examples of formats or story structures that may suit my purposes. I plan to look at The Illustrated Man. The problem with The Illustrated Man is that the stories were stand alone without much connection to the main narrative (as best I can remember). So, if you have a suggestion I am most eager to hear it.
Short story collections, even linked short stories, are a harder sell than novels. It also sounds like you're trying to write somewhat of a memoir. That's a whole different game. I think you need to decide if you're writing fiction or nonfiction, and I would rethink the structure.
During your treatments, propped on a pillow, you might crayon entertaining captions aside your sketchings. After your death the children bundle this crap into some collection for the charity that cared so tenderly over the duration/misery. The world will sob at the moving 'back-story,' how your tongue gripped the pencil,' watching our daytime TV schedules. I'll buy a copy for my mother. You shall be world famous as the 'Rainbow Guy.' Thank you and rest in peace.
My work (novel) is a group of short stories that start with tension, mayhem or murder and end with sex. I call them chapters.
The one that comes to mind that KIND of works like that (it's an oldie) is Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles. All the stories are stand-alone, but they progress, and they do link up.
I think the OP is gone after one post. Story collections are a lot harder to finish than a lot of writers think. Heck, I have trouble finishing every short story I write. If I were to think I was trying to write a collection, I probably wouldn't get to far. A collection is a lot more ambitious than a lot of people seem to think.
Even if the novel is actually just a series short stories, are they linked in theme? If they are tightly bound could they be chapters instead? Is there a link between the stories? Could you be writing from the prospective of the neighbour who is the same person throughout (young in the 60's through to retirement) ? Or possibly the PoV is a god (The last river god of the area) or Vampire or ghost or whatever - anything with a long lived Point of View Hmmm - Now I'm thinking young children have a dolls tea party and spill some wine for "Myrthin, God of the Brook" - which keeps the god alive. They then whisper hints to the child as they grow up (where is the lost purse, that boyfriend is a bad one etc) - and the "spill drink for the god" becomes a tradition. When she raises her child, teaches them the same. I like it. "The last god of England" - (Like Japanese Kami)
Use a family you can go back as far as you like. The overlap of generations provide a continuing story for all genders.
