when a writer contributes a chapter to a book...

hopeful · Mar 3, 2007

Hi Guys,

This may be an elementary question, but when a bunch of writers contribute chapters to a nonfiction book, what are they called? Are they considered the "co-authors" of the book? Or is only the editor/compiler of all the chapters considered the actual "author" of the book? And are the chapter writers therefore only considered "contributing writers," (or something along those lines)?

Thanks!

-hopeful

veinglory · Mar 3, 2007

I would say "contributors" or contirbuting writer, or refer to the chapter specifically. The editor would also only be referred to as editor, not the author of the book. I think co-author might be okay but it doesn't ring right for non-fiction.

hopeful · Mar 3, 2007

Thanks!

-hopeful

Talia · Mar 6, 2007

Ye gads you've hit one of my buttons. I loathe it when people say they are a coauthor after contributing a chapter to a book together with a bunch of other people they never met.

Ag/ree with veinglory contrinbutingauthor
sry kitten onmy lap typin is challenging

hopeful · Mar 6, 2007

Thanks for the input!

-hopeful

ColoradoGuy · Mar 6, 2007

It's very common in scientific books to have the "authors," those with their names on the title page and the spine, contribute only a chapter or two. The rest are written by folks who have their names recorded by their respective chapters in the table of contents.

hopeful · Mar 7, 2007

ColoradoGuy said:
It's very common in scientific books to have the "authors," those with their names on the title page and the spine, contribute only a chapter or two. The rest are written by folks who have their names recorded by their respective chapters in the table of contents.

Ah... this is interesting. Thanks very much, ColoradoGuy.

when a writer contributes a chapter to a book...

hopeful

veinglory

volitare nequeo

hopeful

Talia

Contract Killer

hopeful

ColoradoGuy

I've seen worse.

hopeful