How do you define an author vs. a writer?

I’ve tried to answer the question of what is the difference between being a writer versus being an author for myself since I started down this journey over five years ago. What do you think the difference is? How do you define an author vs. a writer? When did I stop seeing writing as a hobby? When did writing become a career and change into calling myself an author? Let’s discuss how you define the difference or whether you even see a difference.

Let’s go to the experts.

A writer: one that writes *“Writer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary.

An author: the writer of a literary work (such as a book) *“Author.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary.

What do some people think the difference is?

Some people I’ve encountered use the titles interchangeably and feel that there is no difference between being a writer or an author. Perhaps the author is the title and the writer is what you do. Some may never see themselves as authors even after they published and others might call themselves an author, even though they have published nothing. What do you think the difference is? How do you define an author vs. a writer?

How I define the differences.

So why did I ask this question in the first place? I wanted to see what the difference was in my mind. When did I stop seeing writing as a hobby and seeing it as a career? When did I feel like I graduated to being an author? To be honest with you, I wanted to know when I felt comfortable to call myself an author. I think a writer is someone who writes, no matter what you write or whether you ever publish a thing. An author is someone who puts their butt in the chair and works through the tough times. They don’t stop at the fun stages and then put the story to the side to work on the next best idea. I felt like an author when I kept going through the revision, edits, reads, formatting, uploads, creating my publishing company, and publishing the book. Just because this is how I defined the difference doesn’t mean that it’s true for everyone. What questions do you need to define for yourself with your craft? When do you think that you’ve achieved a state of elevation?

Would you like help in moving from being a writer and becoming an author? Are you unsure where to go after you’ve written that zero or first draft? Or is it time to revise, but you don’t know where to begin? Black Bird Books Publishings As the Crow Flies division can help. I offer personalized classes designed for your personal immediate needs. Do you need help with characters, plot, revision, self-editing, ect… Book your package today! Or take one of my workshops.

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