diff --git a/hix.cabal b/hix.cabal
--- a/hix.cabal
+++ b/hix.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:           hix
-version:        0.5.2
+version:        0.5.3
 synopsis:       Haskell/Nix development build tools
 description:    See https://hackage.haskell.org/package/hix/docs/Hix.html
 category:       Build
diff --git a/lib/Hix/Options.hs b/lib/Hix/Options.hs
--- a/lib/Hix/Options.hs
+++ b/lib/Hix/Options.hs
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@
   name <- strOption (long "name" <> short 'n' <> help "The name of the new project and its main package")
   packages <- switch (long "packages" <> short 'p' <> help "Store packages in the 'packages/' subdirectory")
   hixUrl <- strOption (long "hix-url" <> help "The URL to the Hix repository" <> value def)
-  author <- strOption (long "author" <> short 'a' <> help "Your name")
+  author <- strOption (long "author" <> short 'a' <> help "Your name" <> value "Author")
   pure NewOptions {config = NewProjectConfig {..}}
 
 bootstrapParser :: Parser BootstrapOptions