Differences in legalities with two authors? (Author and co-author)

WordlyVision · Jul 12, 2008

A friend of mine and I are working on a novel project together as authors, and as I'm doing contract research mostly for my personal knowledge, I'm wondering what factors change in "selling" the book and how things for us as author and coauthor change -- in the whole publishing process but more in the contract specifically... questions like:

How does terms of copyright/ownership of the work change?
How are the processes of selling subsidiary rights, contract termination, and other corporate matters handled differently?
How does one present/pitch such a work to an agent? (Does one specific person do it? How do we address the query, etc.)
How are royalties, advances, and other profits affected?

Ravenlocks · Jul 12, 2008

The two of you can sign a contract to spell out many of those things. It's probably wise, no matter how well you know and like the person.

job · Jul 13, 2008

WordlyVision said:
A friend of mine and I are working on a novel project together as authors,

Since this is a commercial endeavor, I'd go ahead and write up a paper that specifies who is going to do what and who gets what profits if the manuscript sells.

WordlyVision said:
I'm wondering what factors change in "selling" the book

None, I should think, unless agent or editor decide the team cannot be worked with easily.

My advice would be to pop down to the Romance section. Cathy Clamp is half of a writing team. She'll be able to give you specifics.

But most of what you're asking is not some general 'given'. It's nailed down point-by-point in the contract with the publisher or with the agent, (if you have an agent contract.) One reason you get an agent is so she can advise you on the best way to handle this.

Differences in legalities with two authors? (Author and co-author)

WordlyVision

The Ideas keep coming...

Ravenlocks

How novel.

job

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript