diff --git a/shared/base.types.ts b/shared/base.types.ts
index 4819076..a726f44 100644
--- a/shared/base.types.ts
+++ b/shared/base.types.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ export interface EntryMetaBase {
   lastModified?: string;
   hidden?: boolean;
   sticky?: boolean;
+  /**
+   * Optional manual sort key. Entries with a sortKey come first,
+   * sorted ascending. Entries without a sortKey fall back to the
+   * default order (sticky, then published date).
+   */
+  sortKey?: number;
 }
 
 export interface EntryBase {
diff --git a/shared/base.utils.spec.ts b/shared/base.utils.spec.ts
index fba7300..b9ad2d9 100644
--- a/shared/base.utils.spec.ts
+++ b/shared/base.utils.spec.ts
@@ -416,5 +416,60 @@ describe('base.utils', () => {
       expect(result[1].slug).toBe('mmm-post');
       expect(result[2].slug).toBe('aaa-post');
     });
+
+    it('should sort entries with sortKey ascending before entries without sortKey', async () => {
+      const entries = [
+        { dir: 'no-key-new', date: '2025-01-01', sortKey: undefined as number | undefined },
+        { dir: 'key-3', date: '2020-01-01', sortKey: 3 },
+        { dir: 'key-1', date: '2020-01-01', sortKey: 1 },
+        { dir: 'no-key-old', date: '2020-06-01', sortKey: undefined },
+        { dir: 'key-2', date: '2020-01-01', sortKey: 2 },
+      ];
+
+      for (const e of entries) {
+        const entryDir = path.join(testDir, e.dir);
+        await fs.mkdir(entryDir, { recursive: true });
+        const sortKeyLine = typeof e.sortKey === 'number' ? `sortKey: ${e.sortKey}\n` : '';
+        await fs.writeFile(
+          path.join(entryDir, 'README.md'),
+          `---\ntitle: ${e.dir}\npublished: ${e.date}\n${sortKeyLine}---\nContent`
+        );
+      }
+
+      const result = await getEntryList<EntryBase>(testDir, 'https://example.com/');
+
+      expect(result).toHaveLength(5);
+      // sortKey entries first, ascending
+      expect(result[0].slug).toBe('key-1');
+      expect(result[1].slug).toBe('key-2');
+      expect(result[2].slug).toBe('key-3');
+      // Then entries without sortKey, by published date (newest first)
+      expect(result[3].slug).toBe('no-key-new');
+      expect(result[4].slug).toBe('no-key-old');
+    });
+
+    it('should rank sortKey above sticky', async () => {
+      const entries = [
+        { dir: 'sticky-no-key', date: '2025-01-01', sortKey: undefined as number | undefined, sticky: true },
+        { dir: 'key-5', date: '2020-01-01', sortKey: 5, sticky: false },
+      ];
+
+      for (const e of entries) {
+        const entryDir = path.join(testDir, e.dir);
+        await fs.mkdir(entryDir, { recursive: true });
+        const sortKeyLine = typeof e.sortKey === 'number' ? `sortKey: ${e.sortKey}\n` : '';
+        const stickyLine = e.sticky ? 'sticky: true\n' : '';
+        await fs.writeFile(
+          path.join(entryDir, 'README.md'),
+          `---\ntitle: ${e.dir}\npublished: ${e.date}\n${sortKeyLine}${stickyLine}---\nContent`
+        );
+      }
+
+      const result = await getEntryList<EntryBase>(testDir, 'https://example.com/');
+
+      expect(result).toHaveLength(2);
+      expect(result[0].slug).toBe('key-5');
+      expect(result[1].slug).toBe('sticky-no-key');
+    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/shared/base.utils.ts b/shared/base.utils.ts
index b6d41e5..ba44b72 100644
--- a/shared/base.utils.ts
+++ b/shared/base.utils.ts
@@ -55,20 +55,36 @@ export async function copyEntriesToDist<T extends { slug: string }>(
 }
 
 /**
- * Compare two entries for sorting (newest first, sticky on top).
+ * Compare two entries for sorting.
+ *
+ * Order of criteria:
+ * 1. sortKey: entries with a sortKey come first, sorted ascending.
+ * 2. Sticky: sticky entries come before non-sticky.
+ * 3. Published date (newest first).
+ * 4. Slug (descending) as tiebreaker.
+ *
  * @returns negative if a comes first, positive if b comes first
  */
 function compareEntries(a: EntryBase, b: EntryBase): number {
-  // 1. Sticky entries first (treat undefined and false the same)
+  // 1. sortKey: entries with a sortKey come first, sorted ascending
+  const aHasKey = typeof a.meta.sortKey === 'number';
+  const bHasKey = typeof b.meta.sortKey === 'number';
+  if (aHasKey && bHasKey) {
+    return a.meta.sortKey! - b.meta.sortKey!;
+  }
+  if (aHasKey !== bHasKey) {
+    return aHasKey ? -1 : 1;
+  }
+  // 2. Sticky entries first (treat undefined and false the same)
   const aSticky = !!a.meta.sticky;
   const bSticky = !!b.meta.sticky;
   if (aSticky !== bSticky) {
     return aSticky ? -1 : 1;
   }
-  // 2. Then by date (newest first) - ISO 8601 strings sort lexicographically
+  // 3. Then by date (newest first) - ISO 8601 strings sort lexicographically
   const dateCompare = b.meta.published.localeCompare(a.meta.published);
   if (dateCompare !== 0) return dateCompare;
-  // 3. Slug as tiebreaker (descending)
+  // 4. Slug as tiebreaker (descending)
   return b.slug.localeCompare(a.slug);
 }