Two authors splitting chapters without a call

Who writes what, by when, and what "done" means. A chapter plan is a decision record, not a vibe about the book.

1 min read

Co-authoring dies in "we should sync." You already know the table of contents. Somebody has to take the middle.

Assign ownership

Chapters 1–3 you, 4–6 them, 7 together. What "done" means — draft they can attack, or polished. The date. Handing off is the same shape when the other person must survive you; here they must survive the month.

Ask for a decision, not a riff

"Does this split work?" is yes or no, with a counter-split if no. It is not an invitation to reopen the thesis. If they want to reopen it, they will. Do not do that work for them in the first letter.

Keep the session off the page

The chat where you hated chapter 2's title is not their problem. The briefing is the split. Your note is the one sentence you would stand behind if it were read aloud — because it will be, by them, later, when you both forgot who agreed.

Tags creative work decisions

Frequently asked questions

Should we share the outline doc instead?
Share it if you already have one. The briefing is the ask — do you take chapters 4–6 by the first of the month — not a second copy of the outline.
What if they write in a different tool than I do?
Fine. You do not need the same app. You need the same ownership and dates. They can reply from email. If they already have a RelayLink account, you need an accepted contact first.
Can I attach the outline?
No. List the chapters and the one-line promise of each. Point at the doc they can already open.

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