How to organize a story collection?

[DragonflySciFi]

I have about 30 short stories that I am revising and collecting into one volume to put out as a self-published book. I'd like some feedback on how these stories should be organized and presented. I'd do oldest to newest, but some don't have dates on them, or the date is wrong. Should it be by type of story? Alphabetical? In groups by similar topic or alternate/randomize them to shake things up? Something else? I've never tried to arrange a compendium before, so any feedback would be really helpful. Thanks!

 

[DariaBlack]

Maybe by word count. Interchange really short stories (flash fiction) with longer pieces to break them up. I also think randomizing them is a good option just to keep things exciting.

 

[Weird Harold]

I have about 30 short stories that I am revising and collecting into one volume to put out as a self-published book. I'd like some feedback on how these stories should be organized and presented. I'd do oldest to newest, but some don't have dates on them, or the date is wrong. Should it be by type of story? Alphabetical? In groups by similar topic or alternate/randomize them to shake things up? Something else? I've never tried to arrange a compendium before, so any feedback would be really helpful. Thanks!

Absent any other obvious chain of connection, chronological is the usual method. It doesn't have to be a strictly accurate chronology; where you don't have dates, you should have some idea of what your wrote before and after any particular piece.

If there IS some other obvious chain -- or chains -- of connection, like a common universe or characters, then I'd group the stories with connections in blocks, chronological within the stories timeline. I'd use unconnected stories as interludes or dividers between blocks of connected stories.

One other thing to consider, is that 30 stories seems a bit many for a single collection, to me. Perhaps finding sequences for two groups of 15 might be easier? It would depend on how long the short stories actually are.

 

[sr71plt]

I'm not sure what chronology has to do with an anthology--unless the anthology is a trip through time. When I have no other logical grouping in mind, I group alphabetically by title.

(P.S., my best-selling anthology has over 80 stories in it. Over 260,000 words. One wonder of e-booking is that the "how much fits between the covers and remains marketable" question that you have with print books pretty much evaporates.)

 

[favoritesgoddess]

A few of my favorite anthologies have about 12 stories (give or take) and tend to be grouped together around a common theme. The stories are different in style and tone, some light and some dark, some long and some short, but they all have a particular thread of appeal that runs through them.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I list them by "heat," by interest, and common thread.

 

[DragonflySciFi]

I was doing an even 30 because I have about 25 old stories that are all on the internet, so it didn't seem like simply revising those would be enough to sell the compendiium, so I was adding several new ones to sweeten the deal.

 

[DragonflySciFi]

I think I've settled on 3 volumes, 15 stories per volume, 10 old (revised) and 5 new, for $2.99 each on Kindle. Does that sound reasonable?

I'm counting stories with 3 parts/chapters as 3 stories. I'm going to do the "mix tape" method of organizing them, going by length and tone to make a pleasing roller coaster, also breaking up "classics" between volumes so I don't have all the most popular stories together -- people have to buy them all to get all the classics. I haven't decided if each one gets an intro paragraph, I'm thinking not, but some stories deserve it, like "This is the first story of this type I ever did back in 1996..."

Opinions? Your feedback has been really helpful so far, thank you!

 

[sr71plt]

I think I've settled on 3 volumes, 15 stories per volume, 10 old (revised) and 5 new, for $2.99 each on Kindle. Does that sound reasonable?

I'm counting stories with 3 parts/chapters as 3 stories. I'm going to do the "mix tape" method of organizing them, going by length and tone to make a pleasing roller coaster, also breaking up "classics" between volumes so I don't have all the most popular stories together -- people have to buy them all to get all the classics. I haven't decided if each one gets an intro paragraph, I'm thinking not, but some stories deserve it, like "This is the first story of this type I ever did back in 1996..."

Opinions? Your feedback has been really helpful so far, thank you!

I'd leave off the "this is the story that came to mind as I watched cousin Edna clip her toenails" intros. If the inspirations for stories are truly interesting, you should save these for your public book readings.

The rest of it looks like it's as good an idea as anything else.

 

[DragonflySciFi]

"Public book readings." You are hiiiii-larious!

 

[sr71plt]

"Public book readings." You are hiiiii-larious!

I have public book readings--and have to have ways to jazz them up.

In this case, maybe it's better to say save them for the on-line interviews. Those are good to get too.