Collaborate to Create: How to Successfully Co-Author a Nonfiction Book {ep. 210)
February 19, 2026
Thinking about co-authoring a nonfiction book? In this episode, Alexa Bigwarfe talks with Matty Dalrymple about how to find the right partner, align expectations, divide responsibilities, split royalties, avoid pitfalls, and turn your book into speaking and consulting opportunities.
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What does it really take to co-author a nonfiction book successfully?
What does it really take to co-author a nonfiction book successfully?
In this episode, Alexa sits down with publishing expert and thriller author Matty Dalrymple to unpack the realities of creative collaboration. Matty shares lessons from co-authoring multiple nonfiction books, including From Page to Platform and Collaborate to Create, and explains why alignment conversations matter more than contracts alone.
Together, they explore:
- How to find the right co-author
- The importance of aligning expectations upfront
- Dividing writing, production, and publishing responsibilities
- Handling royalties and expenses
- What to do if things go sideways
- Why nonfiction books often make more money through speaking and consulting than direct book sales
- How to test compatibility with a smaller project before committing to a full book
If you’ve ever considered collaborating on a nonfiction book—or want to leverage your expertise into speaking, consulting, or greater authority—this episode is packed with practical insight.
Key Takeaways:
- Co-authoring nonfiction is like a “creative marriage”—alignment is essential.
- Always clarify goals upfront (income vs. authority-building vs. lead generation).
- Put everything in writing—including the why behind decisions.
- Decide early who manages publishing logistics and expenses.
- Platforms like Draft2Digital and PublishDrive can simplify royalty splitting.
- Speaking and consulting opportunities often generate more income than book royalties.
- Reuse book content for articles, consulting materials, and speaking pitches.
- Test compatibility with a smaller project (like an article) before committing to a book.
Resources & Links Mentioned
- Collaborate to Create by Matty Dalrymple
- From Page to Platform: How to Succeed as an Author Speaker
- The Podcast Guest Playbook
- Draft2Digital
- PublishDrive
- Matty’s nonfiction site: TheIndieAuthor.com
- Matty’s fiction site: mattydalrymple.com
Guest Bio
Matty Dalrymple educates and advocates for writers as The Indie Author. She hosts hundreds of episodes of The Indie Author Podcast and is the author of five nonfiction books for writers. She serves as ALLi’s Campaigns Manager and writes the Lizzie Ballard thrillers and Anne Kinnear suspense novels. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime.
Publishing and book marketing advice.