To jumpstart a publishing career, many authors like myself, have collaborated with well-known people to assist them with writing their memoir, autobiography, or book of wisdom. Don’t forget that a collaboration differs from ghostwriting since most of the time with the former your name appears with the author on the cover of the book providing some notoriety and potential acclaim if the book sells well. When a writer ghostwrites a book, they unually remain anonymous, and thus are not recognized as much.

I talked about how to choose a well-known person in a previous posting, but if you do agree to collaborate, the first thing to decide is the percentage interest for both parties. If you as collaborator can get 50%, that is a pretty, darn good deal. But remember that your main purpose beyond making a few bucks to pay the rent and feed the Labrador, is gain a credential as a published author or co-author as the case may be. To assist your efforts, hemingwaywantabes, with an agreement, here is a sample you might consider:

Sample Collaboration Agreement

With Comments

(Tips—If you are asked to collaborate on a book, or wish to work with a collaborator on your book, hire an entertainment lawyer or utilize the services of a literary agent. Regardless, familiarizing yourself with a collaboration agreement can be helpful.)

Agreement

Eugene Fixbaker (“Fixbaker”) and Anne Spellbinder (“Spellbinder”)

hereby agree to collaborate on a book with the working title, Around The World In Twenty-Six Days (“work”) under the following terms and conditions:

(Sets out the parties and the book covered by the agreement.)

Fixbaker will provide research for the work and his writing expertise and Spellbinder her writing expertise and use of her literary agent to solicit interest in the work. The parties agree to collaborate on the text for the work with Fixbaker having final approval.

(Details the respective responsibilities of the parties and the contribution of each party. Tip—Be as specific as possible to avoid conflict.)

The work will be written in first person detailing travel tips for completing a trip around the world in twenty-six days. The length of the completed manuscript will approximate 250 pages. Spellbinder agrees to provide photographs from a recent trip abroad for the work.

(Specifies the theme of the book, the length, and one author’s responsibility to provide photographs. Tip—Book description essential. Make certain the parties understand clearly the book that is being written.)

The parties agree that an acceptable draft of the manuscript, subject to Fixbaker’s final approval, will be completed on or before September 1, ____. At that time, the manuscript will be submitted to Afterburner Literary Agency for evaluation by Spellbinder’s agent. Revisions shall be performed by the parties forthwith so that the manuscript and accompanying query letter can be submitted by the agent to selected publishers by October 1, ___.

(Details the completion date for the manuscript, one party’s right to approval, and a timetable for submission to the agent and potential publishers. Tip—Be realistic as to deadlines so that there is no rush to forward material before its time. You only get one shot with agents and publishers—make certain the material is the best of the best.)

The parties agree that they shall be fifty-fifty partners in the work. To that end, all expenses and any and all revenues from all sources for the work shall be shared. The parties designate Afterburner Literary Agent as their sole literary representative.

(Sets up financial arrangement between the parties. Tip—Essential to any agreement so there is no question of who gets what. Most collaborations are fifty-fifty but others may be tilted toward one party.)

Credits for the work shall read, “Around The World In Twenty Six Days” by Eugene Fixbaker and Anne Spellbinder. The parties agree to perform all services, including promotion and marketing of the book, under the auspices of any contract with a publisher. Fixbaker shall have final approval over the selection of the said publisher.

(Specifies credits for the respective authors and the right of one author to have final approval. Tip—Detailing credits is as important as the financial arrangements. Be clear so there are no misunderstandings and hard feelings. Also—providing one party with final approval provides solution when disputes arise.)

If the work is not acquired by a publisher, the parties agree to consider alternative means of publishing, including self-publishing. The parties agree to negotiate in good faith the particulars of such an endeavor. If no publisher is selected and self-publishing is not attempted, the parties agree to shelve the project for a one-year period of time. When that has expired, the parties agree that new submissions may be made, but if none are, the work becomes the property of Fixbaker.

(Provides out-clause in event manuscript is not publishable.)

The parties agree that all decisions made regarding the work shall be with the consent of the other subject to the approvals mentioned above. This agreement shall not be revised without the written consent of the parties. The parties agree that in the event of any disputes the law of Ohio shall govern and that said dispute shall initially be submitted to the American Arbitration Association for resolution.

(Covers boilerplate details regarding essential elements of the agreement.)

Signed this ____ day of ___, ____.

______________

Eugene Fixbaker

______________

Anne Spellbinder