Is it worthwhile to be a co-author?

[Redline]

I have an opportunity to write a chapter in a business book with with 20 other folks. The person putting the book together is a coach and mentor I have used and am comfortable with, along with a marketing/branding person that is promising to guarantee best seller status and marketing to every bookstore and website in the country via a reputable publisher.

My question is: Is it worthwhile to be a co-author with 20 or so other folks if the book is indeed a success? I know being THE author of a best seller is huge, but what about 1 of 20?

The cost to be able to contribute is a few thousand dollars, and the reward will be the recognition the book will provide.

Thoughts?

[TimW]

So wait...he's making you pay to create content in a book that he will sell and make money on, and you get "recognition" for that?

Sounds like a *great* deal to me, for the guy putting the book together.

But since I don't know the answer to this question, I cannot make your decision:

Will you earn a return of more than the money you have to pay to put your stuff in the book? If so, it *might* be worth it.

[officer_dibble]

I'm in the same camp as Tim. Paying to be in a book doesn't sound great (why would you have to?).

Does your mentor have a track record of bestsellers? If so it may be worthwhile.

If you have a chapters' worth of content - then you probably have a book in there or at least an ebook and a few thousand dollars will go a long way in marketing your own product.

[kamakiri]

... that is promising to guarantee best seller status

The cost to be able to contribute is a few thousand dollars, and the reward will be the recognition the book will provide.

Okay... How can you not see that this is the biggest load of BS ever? If he is sure it will be a best seller, he should be guaranteeing it with cash. Paid in advance. Not charging you.

[TobiasFransson]

Hi Redline,

I agree with Tim that ultimately it's your decision if you want to go for this or not. To me it sounds like your mentor is trying to use a concept called other peoples money & other peoples time by charging you money to participate and also provide content for the book.

Given that you are contributing to the book I wonder if you will be given some sort of Royalty income from it?

-Tobias