Good Idea, Bad Idea, or Who-Cares Idea?

Have you had anyone beta read the thing? If it works, don't change it. If it doesn't work, have someone help ya out.

I think it sounds like an interesting way of putting things together and if done well could work really well. I agree with the ninja bunny though, get some beta readers and see what they think about it. Since it's your story it might make perfect sense to you, and no sense to most everyone else

If your beta-readers' friends start coming up to you and ask when you're going to write more, you're doing it right.

Elsewise....

I think it sounds like an interesting concept. How well it works in this case, however, I couldn't tell you.

If you think it works for you and you're as happy as you think you can be with it, try shopping it around.

...then if it doesn't sell, change it.

Wasn't Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles similar to this? I believe it was. It's been sooo many years since I've read it, though, I just don't recall. Also, Isaac Asimov's I Robot (not to be confused with the movie) was a series of closely related short stories. And one of my all-time favorites, Walter M. Miller's A Canticle for Leibowitz is also laid out similarly to this. It's a novel, but it is composed of three successive stories widely spaced in terms of chronology and only rather loosely related to each other.

Without reading your work, it's difficult to say, but I would recommend that you finish it first. Then you can make a decision about the major revisions you were considering. They might not be necessary.

Best,

Michael

Amy Tan's first novel, The Joy Luck Club, was written as a series of free-standing short stories. It was a best-seller, and highly acclaimed by many critics.

I would say, leave the stories as they are, and wait to see what your beta readers say.

Pass it on. If they give you the old blank stare, just go back to work on changing it.