I never really thought it would be such an important question. In my eyes a “writer” is someone who writes. I just thought that was common sense…. maybe I was wrong.
A year ago, I wrote a post talking about someone said I couldn’t call myself a writer yet because I wasn’t published. I was kind of taken aback by that, thinking what his logic was at saying that, but I dealt with it. That’s what I learned you have to deal with what I like to call…. “The Writer Clique.”
We all know they’re out there whether we would like to admit it or not. They’re the snotty writers who like to think their writing is better than everyone and they can dictate who is a writer and who isn’t. It’s almost like they sit in candlelit rooms in a circle critiquing any person who has a dream of being a writer. They are extremely hard to please and don’t want the competition. They are the worst critics you will ever meet.
It’s happened to me again recently. Someone asked me how my book was going and I admitted that I had faced some issues but I’m working on getting back on track. Here’s part of the conversation:
Writer Snob: So, you’re not published yet?
Me: No, I’m still working on that.
Writer:And you’re calling yourself a writer?
Me: Well, yes. I’m writing therefore I’m a writer.
Writer: You can’t call yourself that until you’re published. Everyone knows that.
Since when? I don’t think everyone knows that. Not everyone agrees with that because I sure don’t. I think these people have their definitions wrong. They became so focused on being the best and knocking everyone else down that they don’t even know what they’re talking about.
Someone said it best on Twitter: A writer is someone who doesn’t quit. Nowhere in that sentence does it say they HAVE to be published. It just says they are someone who never gives up writing. That’s a writer.
I would say being published means your an author. You’ve authored a book. Not a writer. Maybe not everyone who puts words on paper/screen wants to be published? Did those people ever consider that? Maybe they write for family and friends. I’d say a writer is someone who writes with the intention of crafting some form of story. Whether it be poetry, a memoir, fictional, or for strangers or close friends. You are writing to tell something. I’d call that person a writer.
I like that definition. A writer is someone who has stories to tell. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to publish all (or any) of them, but they are writers because they do this thing called writing.
If it quacks, it’s a duck. If it writes, it’s a writer.
Blessings to you, Melissa. You are a writer.
Thank you.
I always thought I was because that’s what I did… I write. If you write, therefore you are a writer. I thought that was common sense haha.
I think maybe getting published could be some measure of success, unless like Patrica pointed out you’re not aspiring for that. If you are trying for that I saw an interview with Tom Selleck the other night, and he shared this quote:
Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
Calvin Coolidge
30th president of US (1872 – 1933)
Sarah Silverman was a writer for Saturday Night Live in 1993–94 but they never aired anything she wrote. You can read about it in her book the Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee. So you can use that example.
I like that example.
I definitely consider myself a writer. I have completed several screenplays, which right now reside on my mac. One was entered in a contest but did not win. I have been converting them into novel format to try ebooks rather than hollywood. If you can see a story when you read something else. You are a writer who would like to be an author
That’s awesome. I’ve completed a couple of screenplays that I haven’t done anything with lol. I think one day I’ll see what I want to do with them. E-books are the way to go these days, I hear. I think you can only consider yourself an “author” when you’re published, but you can still consider yourself a “writer” if you aren’t.
Snobs are not worth listening too. They have this need to put others down to make themselves feel better about their crappy life. As a society we focus too much on labeling people, mostly by the job they hold. But most of us are so much more than the job we do to survive.
You are a writer because you write.
In my opinion, if you write then you are a writer. I think a writer-snob should just be ignored because they are talking nonsense. Anyone who feels the need to trash other people cannot be too happy with their own situation.
If a writer manages to get published then I would consider him or her to be a published author/writer, but unpublished material is still written by someone – clearly, a writer
.
An unsigned musician is still called a musician; an unsigned band is still called a band. I am not sure why writers are treated differently.
Melissa, you write; therefore, you are a writer.
I wish you well with your writing, Melissa.
I don’t pay attention to writer snobs anymore.
Those people just like to bring people down so they can feel better about themselves. I agree. A writer is someone who writes. I thought it was a pretty easy definition but sometimes people like to make things complicated.
Thank you for your comment!
Some people sure do like to complicated things, Melissa,
. I am so with you about not paying attention to writer snobs, or any kind of snob.
All the best,
Hadyn
Yes, they do like being complicated haha. Perhaps even confusing everyone else.
It happens, but we do have to ignore those people and know that we’re just as important as they are.
I often wonder the same thing. I’m definitely a writer because I write, that seems simple enough to me. BUT I also have written two books, true they are unpublished, well at least in the traditional sense. BUT I think that changes things. I would not say, “I am the writer of “said title”. That is just bad grammar. I would say that I am the Author of “said title”. It’s a book, I wrote it, therefore I am the author, published or not. Besides, it could be self published as many books are these days.