Last week at Scryptic Studios, Caleb Monroe talked to Phil Hester about short stories and anthologies. This week, he turns to anthology editors Hope Donovan (Rising Stars of Manga), Kazu Kibuishi (Flight), Joe Pruett (Negative Burn) and Jason Rodriguez (Postcards), who discuss the advantages of the short form, the origins of their books, and what makes a good anthology.
“It’s all about balance,” Donovan says. “Besides strong entries, really having a diverse group of stories and styles is a way to make the anthology something more than the sum of its parts. The pieces are going to resonate or create dissonance with each other no matter what, so the more harmony you can create the better. Especially in Rising Stars, where there’s no theme, showcasing a diverse group of entries is desirable. It’s always a good feeling when you get to represent the total diversity of the entries you received. It makes me feel like we’re communicating the whole contest to the reader.”
