: Only to complete the answer by idiotprogrammer. My first remark is that there is little that is ebook specific in your question, and it might be more appropriate in http://writers.stackexchange.com.

@Correia211

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Only to complete the answer by idiotprogrammer.

My first remark is that there is little that is ebook specific in your
question, and it might be more appropriate in writers.stackexchange.com. At least, you should check what may
already be on that site, but do not cross-post. It is however true that
by reducing the editing chain, and to some extent by isolating authors
from a professional environment, digital publication makes such
situations as you describe more likely to happen.

Another issue is that older people are more worried about having their
names attached to some hopefully lasting contribution, and books are
considered as such. Then older people may also be more worried about
income since age makes it harder to get. Income and name credit are two
separate issues which can be discussed, and possibly balanced. It is
not so unusual to have a main author in large letters, and possibly in
smaller font "with contributions from xxx" or "with the participation
of xxx".

Lastly, estimating contributions is an extremely subjective issue, and
it is easy to underestimate or forget other contributions. Sharing
credit should not be much of a problem, especially if the main
author remains clearly identified. One can only benefit from it, by
keeping good relationship, and even possibly by getting some credit
from the second author when she is, or becomes, well known. And there
is no loss. Unlike money, you often get credit by giving some.

Sharing the income is a private matter of agreement between you, and it
can take many forms. I would think it is also an issue of who needs
it, between members of the same family. It is indeed always better to
settle that beforehand. But the actual contribution may be even harder
to estimate beforehand.

Regarding copyright ownership, which is yet a (third) different
matter, it is indeed wise not to spread it. Sharing copyright is the
best known way of killing any creative work since each partial
copyright owner can object to exploitation of the work, and has thus a
form of blackmailing power. Of course, one can go to court, so that
lawyers get the benefits. Whatever you decide regarding copyright
should possibly be clarified on a written document, independently of
remuneration issues, since copyright is only indirectly linked to
remuneration (it can be used for other purposes). However it can be touchy to
settle legally, since the initial attribution of copyright is not a
contractual matter, but linked to the creation of the work itself (see
Bern Convention and US Copyright Act). Note that copyright is attached only to the creative
part of the work, and in no way to any editing activity (though very
extensive editing might be construed as impacting the creation itself).

So the wording regarding the participation of a second author may
impact copyright attribution. But it is perfectly possible to have a
contractual agreement stating that the second author transfers to the
first whatever part of the copyright he might claim, possibly in exchange
for some remuneration from the first author.

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