How do they order stories

[TomMazanec]

I am putting this on magazines but it applies to anthologies as well.
If there are, say, four stories that fit in a section (SF vs F, or story length, or whatever), how are they ordered? I don't notice ordering by author name, title, length or any other obvious criteria. If I am in a twenty story anthology how do I tell if I am nearing the end without keeping count or checking the table of contents (I do almost all my reading on Kindle)?

 

[alexvss]

I am putting this on magazines but it applies to anthologies as well.
If there are, say, four stories that fit in a section (SF vs F, or story length, or whatever), how are they ordered? I don't notice ordering by author name, title, length or any other obvious criteria. If I am in a twenty story anthology how do I tell if I am nearing the end without keeping count or checking the table of contents (I do almost all my reading on Kindle)?

Every editor/publisher has his own criteria. There are no strict rules concerning that. I believe most just order the stories randomly, the exception being the first story, which should hook the reader. In anthologies, the title of the anthology is oftentimes the title of the first story, and the famous/solicited authors appear first.

If you read on Kindle, the device shows where you are at the bottom of the page, doesn't it?

 

[The Judge]

My understanding is most editors of anthologies would put the best or most appropriate story first to kick the whole thing off, the second best last so there's a good finale, and I'd put the third best bang in the middle to prop up the central section in case it needs it. Depending on the number and range of stories where possible I'd then alternate light with dark, long with short and avoid having two together which are too similar in tone or content.

 

[CupofJoe]

Being a bit more cynical, you can do the same with authors. If you have a big name writing for you lead with that.
Even if it isn't a great story. You may just have sold a few more copies.

 

[TomMazanec]

I can see time left in chapter (and how does it know how fast I read) or in the book, or percentage of the book. Magazines are just a percentage of the article/story at the bottom, plus the title of the next entry, so that is more problematical. Of course, as of September 4 that will be academic, as KIndle is discontinuing my magazines.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

In some of the anthologies in which my stories have appeared, the editor grouped the stories under separate headings according to some sort of theme (since these were theme anthologies to begin with, back in the 1990s when such were popular, it obviously was not the common theme that got them into the anthology to begin with but some other common element or atmosphere, or mood ... or something ... that those under each heading shared.) So not the type of alternation that The Judge describes, but it does appear, looking at the TOC's of those I could locate just now, that in some of them the placement of the beginning and ending stories might have been done in the manner she describes.

One of my stories was reprinted in a Tickety Boo Press anthology. That one was edited by @Boneman. If he was still posting on the site, maybe he could enlighten us as to how he went about it. (Although maybe he is the source of some of TJ's information?)

 

[The Judge]

One of my stories was reprinted in a Tickety Boo Press anthology. That one was edited by @Boneman. If he was still posting on the site, maybe he could enlighten us as to how he went about it. (Although maybe he is the source of some of TJ's information?)

No, I've never discussed it with Boneman, but although he edited the stories, I'm not sure if he also decided on the story order for the anthology as I got the impression Gary decided on that. My thoughts are gleaned from odd bits I've picked up and odder bits that have occurred to me in the development of Distaff and now Femmes Fae-Tales (the latter of which is nearing completion!).

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Yes, in my experience with anthologies, there can be two or three different editors filling different roles, and in my considerably more limited experience with magazines (which was only the one magazine) this can also be true.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

My experience mirrors the Judge‘s