Writing a story for someone else

totopink · Jun 24, 2012

I have a director friend who has come up with a rather brilliant plot line for a MG book. He has sent out queries for it and a succession of agents have been interested, but after reading the manuscript they have all lost interest, the reason being he is just not a good writer.

So, his next step was to ask me to write it. I offered to write it with him, his words and my edits, but he insisted he just wanted to hand over the whole task to me. He has given me a detailed synopsis, all the characters and the plot will be completely of his own creation, but I am the one doing the writing.

Now, I have absolutely NO idea of how to go about querying this. Will it go under my name, his name or both of our names? If the agent were to sign the story would they sign me or him, or both of us? I have no interest in writing it and taking all the credit- it's his brain child after all - but I'm just not sure what the process is.

Does anyone know how the process of dual-writing works or how I should go about querying?

Bufty · Jun 24, 2012

I would think the first thing to do would be to get a written agreement between you so you each know exactly where you stand, regardless of who is credited as the author.

This issue has been raised before but I can't recall where.

There is Freelance Forum that may touch on this but I'm sure someone else will pop by who can point you in the right direction re this issue. Uncle Jim writes with another.

Ghostwriting (for your pal) would usually involve a fixed fee.

But doing the writing together is a whole different ball game.

Old Hack · Jun 24, 2012

As Bufty said, you're ghostwriting for him. You need a contract which spells out exactly who gets paid what and by who, who owns the rights to the completed works, whose name goes on the cover if it gets published, who gets to drive the submissions, and so on. This is not a small undertaking but you really must be careful to cover all points.

If you don't have a contract yet then you could try writing a synopsis and the first few chapters and seeing if you can find a publisher with that--but unless one of you is well-known you're unlikely to sell it until it's finished (and even then you'll probably struggle).

dangerousbill · Jun 24, 2012

Bufty said:
I would think the first thing to do would be to get a written agreement between you so you each know exactly where you stand, regardless of who is credited as the author.

Absolutely. It's almost certain, at the end of the job, that he'll claim most of the gravy for coming up with the idea, and you'll claim credit for having done that actual sweat work of writing. People are like that.

This is a variation on a situation moderately common to writers. "Hey, you're a writer. I've got this great idea for a story. If I tell you the idea, you can write the novel and I'll cut you in for ten percent."

AbielleRose · Jun 24, 2012

Bufty said:
I would think the first thing to do would be to get a written agreement between you so you each know exactly where you stand, regardless of who is credited as the author.

This issue has been raised before but I can't recall where.

There is Freelance Forum that may touch on this but I'm sure someone else will pop by who can point you in the right direction re this issue. Uncle Jim writes with another.

Ghostwriting (for your pal) would usually involve a fixed fee.

But doing the writing together is a whole different ball game.

I vaguely remember a thread a few months ago but I'm pretty sure that was about a comic book with one person writing and the other person doing the art work (the art was going to come first and then the person's question was about their rights writing the story according to the pictures the other person had drawn... I think...)

They've all said it above already.

Hope it works out for you two, just be sure to get a good contract down and don't leave any loopholes for him to come back and sue you later on. Business, even between friends, can turn into a nightmare sometimes. Best to prepare.

rwm4768 · Jun 24, 2012

Maybe you could do it as co-authors. Just make sure he puts in a fair amount of work too, even if it involves things as simple as having him write detailed notes on plot and character.

Susan Coffin · Jun 24, 2012

Wait a minute. Did these agents tell him he's not a good writer? Did they give him reasons for rejections? Or, did he get those rejections and conclude he's not a good writer? Maybe someone told him they don't think he's a good writer. Just curious.

Just because he's been rejected does not mean he's a poor writer. It could mean the story is not ready due to editing issues. Maybe some agents changed their mind, or it sounded too much like another story on their list. There really could be any number of reasons.

I'm curious as to why he's so quick to hand off his project off for ghostwriting. Just because it's ghostwritten does not mean it will sell any better.

That said, if you do choose to ghostwrite for him, make sure the terms are clear and in written form.

jjdebenedictis · Jun 24, 2012

You might want to point out to your friend that if you do all the writing, legally you can take all the royalties. Ideas are not copyrightable. (The situation is a little less cut and dried in the movie industry, which might be why he's not worried about just handing the idea over to someone else. He doesn't realize he's inviting them to cut him out of the equation, financially.)

You're obviously not an idea poacher, so your friend is in good hands, but definitely get a contract in place in case the relationship goes south (which sadly can happen when money is involved.)

Bufty · Jun 24, 2012

On the other hand, you may not want to.

jjdebenedictis said:
You might want to point out to your friend that if you do all the writing, legally you can take all the royalties. Ideas are not copyrightable. (The situation is a little less cut and dried in the movie industry, which might be why he's not worried about just handing the idea over to someone else. He doesn't realize he's inviting them to cut him out of the equation, financially.)

You're obviously not an idea poacher, so your friend is in good hands, but definitely get a contract in place in case the relationship goes south (which sadly can happen when money is involved.)

Miss Plum · Jun 24, 2012

You can explain the authorship issues to an agent, should one take on the project, and the agent can draw up an agreement that will divvy the proceeds. That's what an agent did for me and a collaborator.

Old Hack · Jun 24, 2012

That should be done before the book is written, though, as the writer and the idea-holder have to agree on how everything will be shared before the work is done otherwise one of them is almost bound to be disappointed.

dawinsor · Jun 24, 2012

This situation would make me run a mile. First, it raises my writer's hackles. Ideas are a dime a dozen. I can spin out ten in the next 60 seconds, but any of them would take me a year or so to write and revise. Until it's written, an idea is vapor fic. If you manage to sell it, what division of credit and money should result?

Beyond that, Susan asks some very good questions. Have you seen what the agents say? What he reports sounds almost like a form rejections: "lively premise but not quite right for me."

Little Ming · Jun 24, 2012

You might also want to consider doing this as a work for hire. I love my friends, but I would never go into the writing business with them, especially since they think the "idea" is the hard part.

But if you do decide to retain some rights to this project you need to have a contract signed up front.

Writing a story for someone else

totopink

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

dangerousbill

Retired Illuminatus

AbielleRose

Crazy Cat Lady

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Miss Plum

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

dawinsor

Dorothy A. Winsor

Little Ming