Growing up, we’re taught that teamwork is a great thing and that it brings the best out of all of us. This is why schools love to assign group projects and the idea of working on a team plays a major role in everything we do, all the way through college and into the workplace.

However, as we become adults, especially ones working in a creative field, we see that teamwork is not always the best way to get results. Design by committee is a common way to express designs that stink and expressions such as “Too many cooks spoil the broth” begin to become accepted cliches.

Though teamwork certainly has its place, creating copyrighted works with a co-author or multiple co-authors is not, usually, well-advised. The reason is that copyright law deals with works of joint authorship in a very brutal and confusing matter that can leave you high and dry very easily.

If you create works of joint authorship without a good contract, you could find yourself in a world of hurt. Because, while good friends only rarely make great creative works, good creative works often times great ruin friendships.

Here’s why you should avoid joint authorship if at all possible. [Read more…]