How to write erotic novel containing short stories?

Question

I am writing an erotic novel length story (for a website, not necessarily to be published in book form). In this novel an FBI agent is pursuing a sexual deviant. However this deviant has influenced others in the town into taking up a similar lifestyle. Therefore I imagine having scenes that would not necessarily have either the protagonist or antagonist in them. Because of this I am not sure how to structure the book (i.e. how do I write scenes where neither main character is present). The scenes are important as it shows the effect the deviant is having on the town. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Hmmm.  I think your title suggests an answer.

Use the main story as the frame.

*The sub stories could be in the form of statements given by people in the course of the investigation, admissions of guilt, a letter or a series of letters, suicide notes, etc.

This has worked in the classic tale of haunting, "The Turn of the s***w" by Henry James, in which the tale itself is a document within the story.  You can do this for multiple things.

More modern fantastical tales are The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury, and Breakfast in the Ruins by Michael Moorcock, in which the overarcing story contains many short stories within.

Answer 2

An unpublished author's chances of selling a story collection--in any genre, including erotica--are pretty close to zero. If you haven't sold short stories to the half-dozen biggest erotica markets, I'd suggest you abandon the idea of a collection of related short stories. It would be shooting yourself in the foot.

It can be quite a challenge to figure out how to give information to the reader when your POV character is not present. That's a hurdle the writer has to learn to jump. Some shift POVs as needed, but if the only reason is to present information, publishers consider it amateurish.

I suggest you do some homework by reading outside your genre. Read two thrillers and two mysteries, each written in either first person or limited third person POV. Pay close attention to how their authors solve exactly the problem you face. They do it all the time, so skillfully it's invisible unless you're looking for it.