diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html b/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html
index 7c660e9c1..401dc2941 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html
@@ -40,18 +40,19 @@
         <h2 class="title is-4">{% trans "Confirm Book Info" %}</h2>
         <div class="columns">
             {% if author_matches %}
+            <input type="hidden" name="author-match-count" value="{{ author_matches|length }}">
             <div class="column is-half">
                 {% for author in author_matches %}
                 <fieldset class="mb-4">
                     <legend class="title is-5 mb-1">{% blocktrans with name=author.name %}Is "{{ name }}" an existing author?{% endblocktrans %}</legend>
-                    {% with forloop.counter as counter %}
+                    {% with forloop.counter0 as counter %}
                     {% for match in author.matches %}
                     <label><input type="radio" name="author_match-{{ counter }}" value="{{ match.id }}" required> {{ match.name }}</label>
                     <p class="help">
-                        <a href="{{ author.local_path }}" target="_blank">{% blocktrans with book_title=match.book_set.first.title %}Author of <em>{{ book_title }}</em>{% endblocktrans %}</a>
+                        <a href="{{ match.local_path }}" target="_blank">{% blocktrans with book_title=match.book_set.first.title %}Author of <em>{{ book_title }}</em>{% endblocktrans %}</a>
                     </p>
                     {% endfor %}
-                    <label><input type="radio" name="author_match-{{ counter }}" value="0" required> {% trans "This is a new author" %}</label>
+                    <label><input type="radio" name="author_match-{{ counter }}" value="{{ author.name }}" required> {% trans "This is a new author" %}</label>
                     {% endwith %}
                 </fieldset>
                 {% endfor %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
index 1549bdc64..850be8db9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ class BookViews(TestCase):
         form = forms.EditionForm(instance=self.book)
         form.data["title"] = "New Title"
         form.data["last_edited_by"] = self.local_user.id
-        form.data["add_author"] = "Sappho"
+        form.data["author-match-count"] = 1
+        form.data["author_match-0"] = "Sappho"
         request = self.factory.post("", form.data)
         request.user = self.local_user
 
@@ -175,7 +176,8 @@ class BookViews(TestCase):
         self.local_user.groups.add(self.group)
         form = forms.EditionForm()
         form.data["title"] = "New Title"
-        form.data["add_author"] = "Sappho"
+        form.data["author-match-count"] = "1"
+        form.data["author_match-0"] = "Sappho"
         form.data["last_edited_by"] = self.local_user.id
         request = self.factory.post("", form.data)
         request.user = self.local_user
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/books.py b/bookwyrm/views/books.py
index 0a11b87cf..0b23b0d63 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/books.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/books.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from django.contrib.postgres.search import SearchRank, SearchVector
 from django.core.paginator import Paginator
 from django.db import transaction
 from django.db.models import Avg, Q
-from django.http import HttpResponseNotFound
+from django.http import HttpResponseBadRequest, HttpResponseNotFound
 from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404, redirect
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
@@ -145,12 +145,13 @@ class EditBook(View):
                         "name": author.strip(),
                         "matches": (
                             models.Author.objects.annotate(search=vector)
-                            .annotate(rank=SearchRank(vector, add_author))
+                            .annotate(rank=SearchRank(vector, author))
                             .filter(rank__gt=0.4)
                             .order_by("-rank")[:5]
                         ),
                     }
                 )
+                print(data["author_matches"])
 
         # we're creating a new book
         if not book:
@@ -200,18 +201,20 @@ class ConfirmEditBook(View):
             book = form.save()
 
             # get or create author as needed
-            if request.POST.get("add_author"):
-                for (i, author) in enumerate(request.POST.get("add_author").split(",")):
-                    if not author:
-                        continue
-                    match = request.POST.get("author_match-%d" % i)
-                    if match and match != "0":
-                        author = get_object_or_404(
-                            models.Author, id=request.POST["author_match-%d" % i]
-                        )
-                    else:
-                        author = models.Author.objects.create(name=author.strip())
-                    book.authors.add(author)
+            for i in range(int(request.POST.get("author-match-count", 0))):
+                match = request.POST.get("author_match-%d" % i)
+                if not match:
+                    return HttpResponseBadRequest()
+                try:
+                    # if it's an int, it's an ID
+                    match = int(match)
+                    author = get_object_or_404(
+                        models.Author, id=request.POST["author_match-%d" % i]
+                    )
+                except ValueError:
+                    # otherwise it's a name
+                    author = models.Author.objects.create(name=match)
+                book.authors.add(author)
 
             # create work, if needed
             if not book_id: