How to Create Guest Authors

By default, everyone who writes on your WordPress site has to have a user account. So to accept a guest author post, you need to create a user account that the author may never use.

One way around this is the PublishPress Authors plugin. This plugin allows you to create Guest Authors who do not have a WordPress login.

Adding Guest Authors

• After installing PublishPress Authors, to go the “Authors” link in your WordPress menu.

You can add two kinds of Authors here:

• Authors who are mapped to regular WordPress users and can share all their details.
• Guest Authors who don’t need an account on your site.

From this “Authors” screen, you can create new authors for your content.

If you use the “Mapped User” option, you can connect the Author to a WordPress user. Or … and this is where we solve our problem … you can leave this blank and create a Guest Author.

• Mapped User: Leave this blank.
• Name: Enter the Author name.

PublishPress Authors treats Guest Authors identically to Authors who are mapped to users. You will be able to select and display Guest Authors in exactly the same way as for mapped users.

Now when you go to create a post, you can choose the Guest Author:

Save your content and visit the front of your site. You'll be able to see the Guest Author profile, sitting next to real authors.