A book claim is how an author on Sọna establishes that they are the credited writer of a book already in a publisher's catalogue. It links the book to the author's public profile, so readers browsing the author's page can see all their work, including titles published through a house.
This guide covers the full process from both sides: what the author sees, and what the publisher sees.
When Does a Book Claim Happen?
A book claim is triggered automatically when an author sets a pen name that matches the credited author of a book already on Sọna that was uploaded by a publisher account.
For example, if a publisher uploaded a book credited to Amara Osei, and an author on Sọna sets their pen name to Amara Osei, Sọna recognises the match and creates a claim, asking the publisher to confirm or dispute whether this author is the person who wrote that book.
Part 1: The Author's Experience
What You See After Setting Your Pen Name
If your pen name triggers a claim, you will see a notice on your profile page:
"Your pen name request for "[Name]" is awaiting confirmation from the publisher. You'll be notified by email once they respond."
Your current pen name stays as-is until the publisher responds. Nothing changes for readers in the meantime.
Tracking Your Claims
Go to Publish Dashboard > Book Claims to see the status of every claim you have submitted.
Each claim shows one of these statuses:
- Awaiting Publisher: The publisher has been notified and needs to respond
- Under Review: The Sọna team is reviewing a conflict or escalation
- Approved: Confirmed: your pen name is live and the book is linked to your profile
- Disputed: The publisher has contested the claim
If a Publisher Disputes Your Claim
You will receive an email with their reason (if one was given), and the Disputed status will appear on your claims page.
You have two options:
Option 1: Update Your Pen Name and Resubmit.
If the issue is a small difference (wrong spelling, wrong format), correct the pen name on your profile and save again. A new claim is created.
Option 2: Escalate to the Sọna team.
If you believe the dispute was made in error and you are the legitimate credited author, tap Escalate to Sọna on the claim. The team reviews it independently and responds by email within 1 to 2 business days.
You cannot escalate the same claim twice. If the Sọna team also declines the claim, the outcome is final for that specific claim.
Part 2: The Publisher's Experience
Where to Find Pending Claims
Go to Publish Dashboard > Book Claims.
This page shows all pending claims from authors who believe they are the credited writer of a book in your catalogue. Each claim shows:
- The author's name on Sọna
- The pen name they are claiming
- The date the claim was submitted
How to Confirm a Claim
- Review the claim and check whether the pen name matches the credited author of the books you published
- Click Confirm
The author is notified immediately by email. Their pen name is updated, and the book appears on their public author profile.
How to Dispute a Claim
- Click Dispute
- Enter a reason: this goes directly to the author
Be specific. "The credited author on this book is Amara Osei-Bonsu: please use the full name as it appears on the book" is far more useful than leaving it blank. A clear reason helps the author resubmit correctly and avoids unnecessary escalation.
If an Author Escalates
When an author escalates a disputed claim, the Sọna team reviews it independently with full context, including your dispute reason. They may:
- Uphold the dispute and require the author to correct their name
- Override the dispute if the author is demonstrably the credited writer
You will be notified of the outcome. This is rare: most claims are resolved through the confirm or resubmit flow without reaching escalation.
Part 3: What the Sọna Team Reviews
When a claim reaches the Sọna admin team, through escalation or direct review, the team checks:
- Whether the pen name is already in use by a different author on the platform
- Whether there are any trademark, impersonation, or publishing contract concerns
- The context of any publisher dispute and whether the reason given is consistent with the book's credited authorship
The team responds by email within 1 to 2 business days. Outcomes are final for that specific claim.
Things to Know
A book claim is about credit, not ownership. Confirming a claim means the book appears on the author's public profile. It does not transfer publishing rights, royalties, or earnings. Those remain with the account that uploaded the book.
Publishers cannot be impersonated. An author cannot submit a book claim for a name that belongs to a registered publisher account, their company name, or any of their imprints. The system blocks this automatically.
A publisher account can never receive a pen name. All approval paths (publisher confirmation, admin review, or automatic system approval) verify that the recipient is an individual author account before a pen name is assigned.
Authors track their claims at Publish Dashboard > Book Claims. Publishers review incoming claims at Publish Dashboard > Book Claims.
Related Posts
- How to Manage Pen Names on Sọna: Setting up multiple writing identities as an author
- How to Manage Imprints on Sọna: Managing publisher labels and sub-brands
- Getting Started on Sọna Part 2: Setting Up as a Publisher: The full publisher setup guide