If you are not familiar with me, I am the visionary author of a few anthology projects:

The Coaches Connect Volume I

The Coaches Connect Volume II

If These Walls Could Talk, Stories of Surviving Childhood Trauma

While I have participated in over seven others, I managed these from inception to publication. For some, this type of project may seem overwhelming, but with excellent time management, prioritization, and time management skills, you, too, will be successful. 

Just in case you are wondering what an anthology project is, it is a collaborative book project where individuals share their stories about a common theme. Anthologies are fun to spearhead and participate in. I have made great connections and developed my writing skills with each one. Anthology projects are a great start if you are new to writing and an even better opportunity if you want your work to reach the masses. 

Before I provide tips on how to facilitate your very own anthology project, I want to emphasize the importance of the project’s theme. What are you looking to write about? What is the topic of your project that you want all your writers to write about? The theme is the backbone of your project, it’s what will unite all the stories and make your anthology unique. Everyone has to be on the same accord, so what will it be?

Now that you have that out of the way, here are some things to consider to have a successful project:

1. When do you want to publish? This is a crucial decision that will set the pace for your entire project. Determine this first and work backward. Knowing this date will not only help you better plan everything else, such as when the writers need to turn in their chapters, bios and headshots, but it will also create a sense of urgency and commitment. So, when do you want your work to be out in the world?

2. What is your WHY? Why this book? What impact do you desire it to make?
3. The team you want to build—how many writers/authors, who will edit, the publishing route, who will create book covers, how you will market, and where you will house the information you will provide to your writers. 
4. What will this process look like for you and your authors? How often will you meet? How will you meet? Will there be incentives as authors progress?
5. What platforms will you publish your book on? Do you want mass distribution? Is it your desire to have your book in stores?

I hope this information helps. This is an excellent start to facilitating your anthology. I wish you the best.