Writing an article or book with one or more co-authors often makes perfect sense. There are 3 main reasons why you should consider working with a co-author on a project:
- The co-author has expertise you don’t, so you couldn’t do the project without a co-author.
- The co-author has name recognition. This increases the likelihood of a publisher accepting the project and can also lead to greater sales and income.
- There’s more work in a project than you want to do alone, so bringing in a co-author allows a project to happen that otherwise wouldn’t. This was the case for 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California, a book I wrote with my brother Marc Soares. I’d just finished my first hiking guidebook (written solo), and I was very busy with other writing projects and teaching college courses. Having Marc do 50 hikes along with photos and maps made the project doable.
100 Classic Hikes in Northern California was a win-win situation. The book, in print since 1994 and now in its third edition, has been a steady source of income since it first came out.
Ideally you want synergy, meaning the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. What you and your co-author together bring to your project is substantially more than what either of you could have done individually.
Questions and Suggestions for Co-Authoring
1. What writing ideas do you have that would benefit from a co-author, or that can’t happen without a co-author?
2. Develop a list of writers you think would be good co-authors, along with potential projects you can do.
3. Ask writers you know and trust if they have any good ideas for collaboration.
(This post is based in part on Chapter 37, “When to Co-Author,” from the e-book Intelligent Productivity For Freelance Writers: Manage Your Time, Make More Money, and Get More Enjoyment From Life.)
How has co-authoring worked for you? How have you benefited?
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