diff --git a/capa/ida/plugin/view.py b/capa/ida/plugin/view.py
index 3a1d324d..e76cc265 100644
--- a/capa/ida/plugin/view.py
+++ b/capa/ida/plugin/view.py
@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@ class CapaExplorerRulgenPreview(QtWidgets.QTextEdit):
             "  meta:",
             "    name: <insert_name>",
             "    namespace: <insert_namespace>",
-            "    author: %s" % author,
+            "    authors:",
+            "      - %s" % author,
             "    scope: %s" % scope,
             "    references: <insert_references>",
             "    examples:",
diff --git a/capa/rules.py b/capa/rules.py
index ca824728..9ca630ff 100644
--- a/capa/rules.py
+++ b/capa/rules.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ META_KEYS = (
     "maec/malware-family",
     "maec/malware-category",
     "maec/malware-category-ov",
-    "author",
+    "authors",
     "description",
     "lib",
     "scope",
@@ -1298,6 +1298,12 @@ class RuleSet:
                     logger.debug('using rule "%s" and dependencies, found tag in meta.%s: %s', rule.name, k, v)
                     rules_filtered.update(set(capa.rules.get_rules_and_dependencies(rules, rule.name)))
                     break
+                if isinstance(v, list):
+                    for vv in v:
+                        if tag in vv:
+                            logger.debug('using rule "%s" and dependencies, found tag in meta.%s: %s', rule.name, k, vv)
+                            rules_filtered.update(set(capa.rules.get_rules_and_dependencies(rules, rule.name)))
+                            break
         return RuleSet(list(rules_filtered))
 
     def match(self, scope: Scope, features: FeatureSet, va: int) -> Tuple[FeatureSet, ceng.MatchResults]:
diff --git a/scripts/lint.py b/scripts/lint.py
index 553e9f2e..56dbec2e 100644
--- a/scripts/lint.py
+++ b/scripts/lint.py
@@ -43,9 +43,8 @@ import capa.rules
 import capa.engine
 import capa.helpers
 import capa.features.insn
-import capa.features.common
 from capa.rules import Rule, RuleSet
-from capa.features.common import Feature
+from capa.features.common import String, Feature, Substring
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("lint")
 
@@ -168,12 +167,12 @@ class InvalidScope(Lint):
         return rule.meta.get("scope") not in ("file", "function", "basic block", "instruction")
 
 
-class MissingAuthor(Lint):
-    name = "missing author"
-    recommendation = "Add meta.author so that users know who to contact with questions"
+class MissingAuthors(Lint):
+    name = "missing authors"
+    recommendation = "Add meta.authors so that users know who to contact with questions"
 
     def check_rule(self, ctx: Context, rule: Rule):
-        return "author" not in rule.meta
+        return "authors" not in rule.meta
 
 
 class MissingExamples(Lint):
@@ -490,7 +489,7 @@ class FeatureStringTooShort(Lint):
 
     def check_features(self, ctx: Context, features: List[Feature]):
         for feature in features:
-            if isinstance(feature, (capa.features.common.String, capa.features.common.Substring)):
+            if isinstance(feature, (String, Substring)):
                 assert isinstance(feature.value, str)
                 if len(feature.value) < 4:
                     self.recommendation = self.recommendation.format(feature.value)
@@ -697,7 +696,7 @@ def lint_scope(ctx: Context, rule: Rule):
 META_LINTS = (
     MissingNamespace(),
     NamespaceDoesntMatchRulePath(),
-    MissingAuthor(),
+    MissingAuthors(),
     MissingExamples(),
     MissingExampleOffset(),
     ExampleFileDNE(),
diff --git a/tests/test_fmt.py b/tests/test_fmt.py
index 92bd4ffa..de96a1f4 100644
--- a/tests/test_fmt.py
+++ b/tests/test_fmt.py
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ EXPECTED = textwrap.dedent(
     rule:
       meta:
         name: test rule
-        author: user@domain.com
+        authors:
+          - user@domain.com
         scope: function
         examples:
           - foo1234
@@ -38,7 +39,8 @@ def test_rule_reformat_top_level_elements():
               - number: 2
           meta:
             name: test rule
-            author: user@domain.com
+            authors:
+              - user@domain.com
             scope: function
             examples:
               - foo1234
@@ -55,7 +57,8 @@ def test_rule_reformat_indentation():
         rule:
          meta:
             name: test rule
-            author: user@domain.com
+            authors:
+              - user@domain.com
             scope: function
             examples:
             - foo1234
@@ -75,7 +78,8 @@ def test_rule_reformat_order():
         """
         rule:
           meta:
-            author: user@domain.com
+            authors:
+              - user@domain.com
             examples:
               - foo1234
               - bar5678
@@ -98,7 +102,8 @@ def test_rule_reformat_meta_update():
         """
         rule:
           meta:
-            author: user@domain.com
+            authors:
+              - user@domain.com
             examples:
               - foo1234
               - bar5678
@@ -124,7 +129,8 @@ def test_rule_reformat_string_description():
         rule:
           meta:
             name: test rule
-            author: user@domain.com
+            authors:
+              - user@domain.com
             scope: function
           features:
             - and:
diff --git a/tests/test_rules.py b/tests/test_rules.py
index 68afea7d..1f221e45 100644
--- a/tests/test_rules.py
+++ b/tests/test_rules.py
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ def test_rule_yaml():
         rule:
             meta:
                 name: test rule
-                author: user@domain.com
+                authors:
+                    - user@domain.com
                 scope: function
                 examples:
                     - foo1234
@@ -724,7 +725,8 @@ def test_filter_rules():
                     rule:
                         meta:
                             name: rule 1
-                            author: joe
+                            authors:
+                              - joe
                         features:
                             - api: CreateFile
                     """
@@ -803,7 +805,8 @@ def test_filter_rules_missing_dependency():
                         rule:
                             meta:
                                 name: rule 1
-                                author: joe
+                                authors:
+                                  - joe
                             features:
                                 - match: rule 2
                         """