Business & contracts 2 signers 3 pages 25 blanks to fill in

Co-Author Agreement Template

Two writers, one book or script — agree contributions, deadlines, credit, copyright, the money and what happens if one of you drops out, before you start.

Use this template — free See the agreement Signers don’t need an account
Co-author agreement
The blanks in brackets are what you fill in. FileIt adds each signer’s signature and date boxes.
Co-author agreement — page 1 of 3
Page 1 of 3
Co-author agreement — page 2 of 3
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Co-author agreement — page 3 of 3
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Use this template Fill in the blanks, name who signs, and send — from FileIt eSignature.

What is a co-author agreement?

A co-author agreement (or collaboration agreement) is what two writers sign before they write a book, screenplay, play or course together. Writing partnerships are easy to start and hard to unwind: without a written agreement, questions like whose name goes first, who can sign a publishing deal, or what happens to half a manuscript when one writer walks away are often left to general copyright law, which may not give the answer either of you expects.

This template covers the work and each author's contribution, draft and final deadlines, credit order and style (including pen names), joint copyright or each author owning their own parts with a licence to the other, moral rights, how all income is split by percentage and paid directly, sharing costs with a spending limit, decisions that need both authors, who deals with agents and publishers, an optional no-competing-work period, what happens if an author drops out or misses a deadline, death or incapacity, originality promises, and mediation before court.

Best for
Co-writers of novels, non-fiction books, children's books, screenplays, plays and courses
Signed by
Both authors
Copyright
Owned jointly, or each author owns their own parts and licenses them for the work
Length
3 pages, initialled on every page

When to use a co-author agreement

  • Two experts co-writing a non-fiction book before pitching agents
  • A writing partnership developing a screenplay or TV pilot
  • An author and an illustrator-writer co-creating a graphic novel
  • Colleagues writing a textbook or online course together
  • Writers who started informally and want terms in place before a deal arrives

What you fill in

25 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: author a, author b.

1 The authors

  • Agreement date*
  • Author A's legal name*
  • Author A's pen name (if any)
  • Author A's address
  • Author B's legal name*
  • Author B's pen name (if any)
  • Author B's address

2 The work

  • Working title*
  • Type of work* a novel · a non-fiction book · a children's book · a screenplay · a television pilot or series · a stage play · a graphic novel · a textbook or course
  • Short description*

3 Who does what

  • Author A contributes*
  • Author B contributes*
  • Complete first draft by*
  • Final manuscript or script by*

4 Credit and copyright

  • Name that appears first* Author A · Author B · the Author whose surname comes first alphabetically
  • Credit style* "by [first] and [second]" · "by [first] with [second]" · "written by [first] & [second]" (script style)
  • Copyright ownership* owned jointly by both authors · each author owns the parts they wrote, licensed to the other for the work

5 Money

  • Author A's share of income (%)*
  • Author B's share of income (%)*
  • Shared costs above this need both authors' approval*
  • Currency*

6 Decisions

  • Who deals with agents and publishers day to day* both authors together · Author A, keeping Author B informed · Author B, keeping Author A informed
  • Grace period after a missed deadline (days)*
  • No competing work for (months after first publication)
  • Governing law*

7 Who signs

  • Author A signature and date, initials on every page · The first co-author.
  • Author B signature and date, initials on every page · The second co-author.

What the co-author agreement covers

  1. The work
  2. Who does what
  3. Credit
  4. Copyright
  5. Income and costs
  6. Decisions
  7. If an Author drops out
  8. Death or incapacity
  9. Promises
  10. Disputes and general

Using the co-author agreement, step by step

1 Describe the work and who does what

Give the working title, type of work and a short description, then list what each author contributes — chapters, research, interviews, editing — and set the first-draft and final deadlines.

2 Agree credit and copyright

Choose whose name appears first (or alphabetical order) and the credit style, and whether copyright is joint or each author keeps their own parts with a licence to the other.

3 Split income and costs

Enter each author's percentage of income — advances, royalties, option fees, prizes — and the amount above which a shared cost needs both authors' approval.

4 Decisions and dropping out

Choose who handles day-to-day contact with agents and publishers, set the grace period after a missed deadline before the other author may finish alone, and add an optional no-competing-work period.

5 Sign before you write

Send it to your co-author. Once both sign, the agreement is filed in your vault — show it to your agent or publisher when a deal is offered.

Tips before you send it

  • Sign before the first chapter. The agreement is far easier to make while you both feel equally committed.
  • Agents and publishers usually want one point of contact. The template lets you name one while still requiring both authors to approve every deal.
  • Ask the publisher or agent to pay each author's share directly — the template asks for this, and it avoids one writer chasing the other.
  • Copyright ownership between co-authors works differently from country to country. If a lot of money is involved, take advice where you live.

Sign it online in minutes

  1. Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
  2. Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
  3. Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Use the co-author agreement template — it’s free

Co-author agreement: frequently asked questions

What happens if one co-author stops writing?

If an author decides to stop, or misses a deadline by more than the grace period after written notice, the other author may finish the work alone or with a new collaborator. The author who left keeps an income share in proportion to their material that stays in the finished work, gets fair credit (or none, if they prefer), and lets the other use their material.

Can one author sign a publishing deal alone?

No. Appointing an agent and signing any publishing, option, film, translation or other rights deal needs both authors' written agreement, and every offer must be shared with both in full. Neither may unreasonably refuse or delay a decision.

Does this make us business partners?

No. The template says it does not make the authors partners or employees of each other. It deals only with the work, its credit, rights and income.

Can a co-author agreement be signed electronically?

In most countries, including the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada, an electronic signature is generally valid for an ordinary commercial contract like this one. FileIt keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF as evidence of who signed and when.

Is this template free?

Yes. The template is free to use with the eSignature app in FileIt, and the people you send it to don't need a FileIt account to sign.

Use this template — free