What is a Co-author

Glossary > Co-author

What is the difference between an author and a co-author?

An author is a person who creates and delivers content on their own based on research conducted or the creation of fictional work. Authors are the core writers, putting their ideas into written format. 

In the world of fiction, they rely their work on the power of imagination and storytelling skills. 

For nonfiction or academic writing, authors rely on research mainly conducted in teams. Co-authors are known as corresponding authors. Co-authors join the author on a proposed topic or idea that the author usually delivers or research that the author usually conducts. They collaborate with the authors in the process of research and writing.

Does co-author mean two?

Any given number of co-authors can work collectively to deliver a written work based on personal expertise, study, or research. Tasks are usually divided between author(s) and co-authors to comprise certain areas of the content, sections, or article parts that each is responsible for.

Do co-authors get royalties?

Usually, co-authors are not paid upfront. They receive remuneration for their work, split into shares among co-authors, based on their contract, which should mention who gets how much. Depending on the publishing contract, publishers' advantage payment, merchandise, and royalties money are divided between parties accordingly. 

How do I remove a co-author?

To remove an author from a collective work, all contributors must sign a corrigendum detailing why the author has initially been included and why they need to be excluded from the work. Additionally, all co-authors must come to a consensus that this is necessary. The reason must align with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).