Amazing Anthologies: How Fiction Anthologies Rescue the Reader

To the unseasoned and unsalted reader, a book of anthologies looks daunting. A stroll through a bookstore and a glance at that incredibly thick book with an ominous Volume 1 underneath the title that promises several more volumes to come is enough to send any casual reader out the door. But worry not! We’ll break down what a fiction anthology is here.

What is an Anthology?

As defined in Merriam-Webster, it is simply a published collection of writings (such as poems or short stories) by different authors.

And with this simple definition, we dispel the fear that authors with notoriously thick books, such as Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamazov or Cervantes’ Don Quixote, brings to the heats to even the most experienced readers.

Anthologies are collections of short stories, so basically when you buy one, you’re buying several stories which you can pick and choose from at your convenience.

What is the difference between an Anthology, and Omnibus, and a Collection?

This is often a confusing question as the three of them are somewhat synonymous. However, there are slight differences that mark them from each other.

As was defined, an anthology is a collection of selected writings by various authors,

a collection is a book of selected writings from various books by an author using one theme or varying themes.

An omnibus is a volume of reprinted works of a single author or of different works related with a unifying theme. Sometimes an omnibus may contain several complete works by just one author.

Thus, if that scarily thick book boasts of one author with one theme and it features a complete work published elsewhere, it’s an omnibus. If it has one author with a collection of short stories with one theme, it’s a collection. But when you see that thick book featuring several authors, rejoice, for that is an anthology.

So who writes anthologies?

Anthologies are not written but are compiled usually by an editor. This editor chooses among several authors and puts them together in a unifying theme. Either submissions are sent in to the editor or they contact the authors, but most of the time it’s usually someone else putting the anthology together.

What are the kinds of anthologies?

Fiction anthologies have existed since the 1600s and have rescued many a fickle reader from having to stick to just one story or author. Most anthologies are collections of short stories, poetry, and even drama that showcase different genres of fiction, such as science fiction, romance, thrillers, fantasy, and even food (like the book Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant which includes an essay by Haruki Murakami on cooking spaghetti).

There are so many anthologies of short fiction that offer many options to readers looking for that special something that can hook them up with their future favorite author or genre.

So dear reader, when you see an anthology, do not despair. Fiction anthologies are your best friends! A quick browse and within its many choices, you might find the writer who will and inspire you to do more reading. And pretty soon, Volume 1 will be joined by Volume 2 and like so many others, you will fall in love with anthologies.