Sharing Copyright?

[cbabb529]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

I have written a book on my partners ideas, and would like to share some of the copyright with him without giving up my right and ownership. Is this possible? What, if any, are the consequences of this? How would I do this? He did not author the work, I did.

All help is appreciated.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

I have written a book on my partners ideas, and would like to share some of the copyright with him without giving up my right and ownership. Is this possible? What, if any, are the consequences of this? How would I do this? He did not author the work, I did.

All help is appreciated.

You can draw up, or preferably have drawn up for you, a collaboration or coauthor agreement, which can detail the percentage of copyright ownership and rights belonging to each contributor to the work. Then you can register the work as a coauthored work. This can allow for your partner to share in any revenues generated by your book.

It is important to note, though, that when a work is registered as a collaboration, the coauthors will be looked at as equal owners in the copyrights absent any collaboration agreement that designates percentage of ownership.

Now, with that said, ideas are not protected under copyright laws so, if your partner's contributions were limited to ideas only, you can simply credit him in your book (and perhaps buy him a nice dinner or pay him a nominal sum for his help). You can register the book with you as sole author.