diff --git a/bookwyrm/forms.py b/bookwyrm/forms.py
index ffbb237b8..88820c8f1 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/forms.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/forms.py
@@ -236,7 +236,39 @@ class AuthorForm(CustomForm):
             "librarything_key",
             "goodreads_key",
         ]
-
+        widgets = {
+            "name": forms.TextInput(
+                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_name"}
+            ),
+            "aliases": forms.TextInput(
+                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_aliases"}
+            ),
+            "bio": forms.Textarea(
+                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_bio"}
+            ),
+            "wikipedia_link": forms.TextInput(
+                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_wikipedia_link"}
+            ),
+            "born": forms.SelectDateWidget(
+                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_born"}
+            ),
+            "died": forms.SelectDateWidget(
+                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_died"}
+            ),
+            "oepnlibrary_key": forms.TextInput(
+                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_oepnlibrary_key"}
+            ),
+            "inventaire_id": forms.TextInput(
+                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_inventaire_id"}
+            ),
+            "librarything_key": forms.TextInput(
+                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_librarything_key"}
+            ),
+            "goodreads_key": forms.TextInput(
+                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_goodreads_key"}
+            ),
+        }
+        
 
 class ImportForm(forms.Form):
     csv_file = forms.FileField()
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/author/edit_author.html b/bookwyrm/templates/author/edit_author.html
index 54d7f4f1c..de1a7875e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/author/edit_author.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/author/edit_author.html
@@ -34,47 +34,41 @@
             <div class="field">
                 <label class="label" for="id_name">{% trans "Name:" %}</label>
                 {{ form.name }}
-                {% for error in form.name.errors %}
-                <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
-                {% endfor %}
+
+                {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=form.name.errors id="desc_name" %}    
             </div>
 
             <div class="field">
                 <label class="label" for="id_aliases">{% trans "Aliases:" %}</label>
                 {{ form.aliases }}
                 <span class="help">{% trans "Separate multiple values with commas." %}</span>
-                {% for error in form.aliases.errors %}
-                <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
-                {% endfor %}
+
+                {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=form.aliases.errors id="desc_aliases" %}    
             </div>
 
             <div class="field">
                 <label class="label" for="id_bio">{% trans "Bio:" %}</label>
                 {{ form.bio }}
-                {% for error in form.bio.errors %}
-                <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
-                {% endfor %}
+
+                {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=form.bio.errors id="desc_bio" %}    
             </div>
 
             <p class="field"><label class="label" for="id_wikipedia_link">{% trans "Wikipedia link:" %}</label> {{ form.wikipedia_link }}</p>
-            {% for error in form.wikipedia_link.errors %}
-            <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
-            {% endfor %}
+
+            {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=form.wikipedia_link.errors id="desc_wikipedia_link" %}    
 
             <div class="field">
                 <label class="label" for="id_born">{% trans "Birth date:" %}</label>
                 <input type="date" name="born" value="{{ form.born.value|date:'Y-m-d' }}" class="input" id="id_born">
-                {% for error in form.born.errors %}
-                <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
-                {% endfor %}
+
+                {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=form.born.errors id="desc_born" %}    
             </div>
 
             <div class="field">
                 <label class="label" for="id_died">{% trans "Death date:" %}</label>
                 <input type="date" name="died" value="{{ form.died.value|date:'Y-m-d' }}" class="input" id="id_died">
-                {% for error in form.died.errors %}
-                <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
-                {% endfor %}
+
+                {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=form.died.errors id="desc_died" %}    
             </div>
         </div>
         <div class="column">
@@ -82,33 +76,29 @@
             <div class="field">
                 <label class="label" for="id_openlibrary_key">{% trans "Openlibrary key:" %}</label>
                 {{ form.openlibrary_key }}
-                {% for error in form.openlibrary_key.errors %}
-                <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
-                {% endfor %}
+
+                {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=form.oepnlibrary_key.errors id="desc_oepnlibrary_key" %}    
             </div>
 
             <div class="field">
                 <label class="label" for="id_inventaire_id">{% trans "Inventaire ID:" %}</label>
                 {{ form.inventaire_id }}
-                {% for error in form.inventaire_id.errors %}
-                <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
-                {% endfor %}
+
+                {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=form.inventaire_id.errors id="desc_inventaire_id" %}    
             </div>
 
             <div class="field">
                 <label class="label" for="id_librarything_key">{% trans "Librarything key:" %}</label>
                 {{ form.librarything_key }}
-                {% for error in form.librarything_key.errors %}
-                <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
-                {% endfor %}
+
+                {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=form.librarything_key.errors id="desc_librarything_key" %}    
             </div>
 
             <div class="field">
                 <label class="label" for="id_goodreads_key">{% trans "Goodreads key:" %}</label>
                 {{ form.goodreads_key }}
-                {% for error in form.goodreads_key.errors %}
-                <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
-                {% endfor %}
+
+                {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=form.goodreads_key.errors id="desc_goodreads_key" %}    
             </div>
 
         </div>