diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
index 00b5c5c9e..2483cc62b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
@@ -179,7 +179,11 @@ class AbstractConnector(AbstractMinimalConnector):
         data = get_data(remote_id)
 
         mapped_data = dict_from_mappings(data, self.author_mappings)
-        activity = activitypub.Author(**mapped_data)
+        try:
+            activity = activitypub.Author(**mapped_data)
+        except activitypub.ActivitySerializerError:
+            return None
+
         # this will dedupe
         return activity.to_model(model=models.Author)
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py
index 9be0266cd..8ee738eb8 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py
@@ -93,7 +93,10 @@ class Connector(AbstractConnector):
             # this id is "/authors/OL1234567A"
             author_id = author_blob["key"]
             url = "%s%s" % (self.base_url, author_id)
-            yield self.get_or_create_author(url)
+            author = self.get_or_create_author(url)
+            if not author:
+                continue
+            yield author
 
     def get_cover_url(self, cover_blob, size="L"):
         """ ask openlibrary for the cover """
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/book.py b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
index 3204c6035..a6824c0ad 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
@@ -53,14 +53,14 @@ class Book(BookDataModel):
     connector = models.ForeignKey("Connector", on_delete=models.PROTECT, null=True)
 
     # book/work metadata
-    title = fields.CharField(max_length=255)
+    title = fields.TextField(max_length=255)
     sort_title = fields.CharField(max_length=255, blank=True, null=True)
-    subtitle = fields.CharField(max_length=255, blank=True, null=True)
+    subtitle = fields.TextField(max_length=255, blank=True, null=True)
     description = fields.HtmlField(blank=True, null=True)
     languages = fields.ArrayField(
         models.CharField(max_length=255), blank=True, default=list
     )
-    series = fields.CharField(max_length=255, blank=True, null=True)
+    series = fields.TextField(max_length=255, blank=True, null=True)
     series_number = fields.CharField(max_length=255, blank=True, null=True)
     subjects = fields.ArrayField(
         models.CharField(max_length=255), blank=True, null=True, default=list
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit_book.html b/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit_book.html
index a9ce651e7..15202d807 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit_book.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit_book.html
@@ -88,12 +88,18 @@
         <div class="column is-half">
             <section class="block">
                 <h2 class="title is-4">{% trans "Metadata" %}</h2>
-                <p class="mb-2"><label class="label" for="id_title">{% trans "Title:" %}</label> {{ form.title }} </p>
+                <p class="mb-2">
+                    <label class="label" for="id_title">{% trans "Title:" %}</label>
+                    <input type="text" name="title" value="{{ form.title.value }}" maxlength="255" class="input" required="" id="id_title">
+                </p>
                 {% for error in form.title.errors %}
                 <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
                 {% endfor %}
 
-                <p class="mb-2"><label class="label" for="id_subtitle">{% trans "Subtitle:" %}</label> {{ form.subtitle }} </p>
+                <p class="mb-2">
+                    <label class="label" for="id_subtitle">{% trans "Subtitle:" %}</label>
+                    <input type="text" name="subtitle" value="{{ form.subtitle.value }}" maxlength="255" class="input" required="" id="id_subtitle">
+                </p>
                 {% for error in form.subtitle.errors %}
                 <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
                 {% endfor %}