All author collaborators should have a written collaboration agreement. A good agreement can provide guidance, prevent disputes and resolve problems when they arise. No two collaborations are alike: in each there will be a unique balance of contributions of celebrity, experience, writing skill, technical knowledge, and sweat. And in each collaboration the parties will divide the resulting fruit of their labors differently. All collaborators should discuss and address in writing where relevant the following issues:
1)Â Who will have authority to make legal, business and editorial decisions?
2)Â How will the rights be divided in the final work and in partially completed work if the project does not go to completion?
3)Â How will authorship be credited?
4)Â How will the collaborators be compensated?
5)Â How will the work be divided?
6)Â What will happen if the project does not go as planned?
7)Â What happens in the event of death or disability of either collaborator?
8)Â Under what circumstances can (or must) the collaboration be deemed terminated?
© 2007 Anthony N. Elia
May 5th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Anthony,
What a valuable list of questions for authors as they work through a book collaboration agreement! Thank you for such professional insight.
Terry
Author of Book Proposals That Sell