> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://thestacc.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Existing Website Authors

> Return your site's existing authors for selection in theStacc.

A custom website can provide an optional author directory. theStacc then shows its authors in the blog's author settings. Sites without a directory keep manual person or editorial-team names.

## Configure the endpoint

In **Publishing**, edit the **Custom Webhook** integration and enter **Author-list URL**. Use a public HTTPS GET endpoint. Leave the field blank to use manual names.

The directory request does not include your publishing secret or custom webhook headers. Publish only the public author IDs, display names, and types needed for selection; do not return emails, credentials, or private staff information.

## Return the authors

Return HTTP 200 with uncompressed JSON:

```json theme={null}
{
  "authors": [
    {"id": "editorial-team", "name": "Editorial Team", "type": "Organization"},
    {"id": "aditi-rao", "name": "Aditi Rao", "type": "Person"}
  ]
}
```

| Field | Requirements |
| - | - |
| `id` | Unique stable string, 1–200 characters, without surrounding whitespace or control characters |
| `name` | Nonblank display name, up to 200 characters |
| `type` | `Person` or `Organization` |

Return at most 500 authors and 128 KiB. `{"authors":[]}` is a valid empty directory. Redirects, private addresses, compressed responses, invalid JSON, duplicate IDs, and responses exceeding the request deadline are rejected.

## Select or enter an author

Open a blog in Content Hub and use **Existing website author**. Selecting an entry fills its name and type; click **Save author** to store it.

If the directory is empty or unavailable, enter a name manually or retry the lookup. A removed author remains visible as a saved selection until the user chooses another author, edits it manually, or selects **Use website default** and saves. A directory refresh does not replace the saved byline or a typed draft.

## Handle publish and update events

An ID-selected author is included in `blog.published` and `blog.updated`:

```json theme={null}
"author": {
  "id": "editorial-team",
  "name": "Editorial Team",
  "type": "Organization"
}
```

Resolve the ID against your own directory. Handle removed IDs with a clear error or an explicitly defined fallback; do not silently assign an unrelated author. Keep accepting manual authors without an ID:

```json theme={null}
"author": {"name": "Editorial Team", "type": "Organization"}
```

An omitted `author` preserves your existing behavior. An explicit `"author": null` requests your default. Saving an author in theStacc does not change the website byline until you handle the next publish or sync/update event. See the [author receiver checklist](/docs/developers/webhooks/field-reference#blog-author).

## Platform-specific authors

WordPress keeps its existing user/PublishPress picker. This custom directory is for webhook sites. Shopify author names/staff IDs and Webflow text/reference fields need their own mappings; connecting those platforms does not enable this webhook directory.


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