You can have a ridiculous (my take
) amount of Authors in the Authors Column. I avoid more than 3 because that can cause issues if you transfer using Authors as part of the file name.
In those cases I have a custom (Authors like) column.
It original plan waaaay back was for True Author (not necessarily their Legal name) names when the cover had a Pen name.
But then I ran into collections
So Now I chose to set {Authors} to the editors name(s) or the big name if no listed editor and the rest in #pseudo4
eg.
Jack L. Chalker (ed) << The paren does not mess up the sort
You can set up a grouped search so Calibre checks both places.
others
J Maclaren-Ross (trans)
Scott Fisher (illus)
Arthur C. Clark (creator)
Note: in some cases the Author might also be the translator or illustrator, thus havin more than 1 entry