While my guy and I were wandering around Winter Garden we stopped at a thrift store. It was very crowded, and the prices were too high for my liking, but I did spot something in the books section that made me do a double take: Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson. Yes, you read that right. I had no idea these two folks had written a book together.
James Patterson is famous -- or, infamous, if you like -- for using co-authors; the most famous being Bill Clinton (Dolly Parton might be a tad bit more famous.) I've heard rumors that he's never actually written a book himself (which would not surprise me.) He is a publicity machine that rivals Stephen King, and since they've both taken pot shots at each other, that seems apt, too. I have never personally read one of his books, and despite Dolly's name on the spine I was not tempted to thrift this one. There will be a Dolly Parton fan out there who will be thrilled to buy it, I'm sure.
In the first years of my career I "co-authored" a screenplay with another writer who at the time was a friend -- or so I thought. I actually did the writing and the friend edited it. I was very naive, inexperienced and unfortunately trusting. Anyway, that screenplay went to the finals in the first Project Greenlight, but ultimately failed. The friendship quickly went sour after that, largely due to my increasing fame at the time. I've always regretted doing that "co-author" job because I can't turn that screenplay into a novel without the ex-friend's permission, which I will never get. Even if I could persuade the ex-friend, they'd want their name on it. That's the reason I've never dipped my toe again in the co-author pond.
Should you co-author a work with another writer? I always say no because I've had that bad experience. It doesn't mean you'll end up in the same boat. I'd say write a contract that specifies what happens to the work if the original project tanks, and protect yourself and your rights as much as possible.
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