I love this question because it depends. At first, I did not feel worthy to call myself a journalist because I did not grow up in a newsroom or go to J-school, but at some point I admitted to myself that's one of my labels, but I usually just say "writer" or "author." If I'm talking education I sometimes revert to "journalist" because that's where I got my start in education writing. Oddly, I don't say the same when talking about parenting, I think because parenting writers don't get much respect in journalism. Just realize that bias this very second.
I have since I was 19 and went to my first writer’s conference. I tried to pitch my first fantasy novel there (which I cringe at right now because I was sooo clueless). Thankfully one of the editors took pity on me and kind of took me under her wing a little bit, and told me “Stop saying you want to be a writer. You ARE a writer.”
Then, I noticed that people would take me a little more seriously when I said I WAS a writer, rather than I WANTED to be.
So that’s always been my advice to new writers—if you have actually been brave enough to take the step of putting down words on a blank page, you ARE a writer. Give yourself the confidence boost of calling yourself one.
I feel that to be an author, you need to be published, while anyone who devotes a significant time to writing can call themselves a writer. Ofc, what is significant is subjective—in my case, I started calling myself a writer once I took a career break to focus on my manuscript. I'll call myself an author if/when my ms is published
So funny that this question comes up now. Yesterday I was at Staples, printing up my latest essay I have been working on for my m emoir class, and the gentleman helping me out, asked me if I was a writer. At first I started to say no, but then, at the last minute, I shook my head and said, "Yes! I am!" He then asked me how long I have been writing and I replied, "basically all my life, as soon as I could pick up a pen and record my thoughts with it." Am I published? Not yet, but I believe it is now time to claim that title, and beleive in it and I will soon attract the rest.
I often refer to myself as a writer, though it feels really vague! I have a Substack, I travel and tell stories with The Moth, I freelance occasionally, and I've written some *as yet unpublished* books. I feel like if I were more on top of my personal branding, I'd have a catchier explanation when people ask what I do, haha
I would say Writer for the following long-winded reason:
I enjoy jazz music, which requires an individual’s complete familiarity with an instrument and a band’s familiarity with each other, enough to improvise a piece of music with no sheet music to follow note-for-note during a performance.
The use of sarcasm and irony in technically-worded writing is like jazz music to me.
Anyone can appreciate a piece of classical music for its precision and complexity, but not everyone “gets” jazz music.
I feel like it takes a uniquely human audience to “get” my style. And that makes me happy to share it.
I refer to myself as a writer but not an author. When I have a book published I'll call myself an author. I didn't feel like I could call myself a writer until I started writing poetry and my book again, and it helped a lot when my first poem was published. I'm trying to "fake it till I make it" with an author website but I battle imposter syndrome every day!
Writer is how I am referring to myself now that I am trying to put my own words out into the world. Of course I've always been a writer, but as a professional moniker it remains somewhat new. Editor is the more comfortable label after decades of working with words professionally and as a writing instructor. If I tell someone I am an author, they immediately want to know what books I've had published and it induces imposter syndrome in me. For the general public, it's easier to answer "writer." I'll refer to myself as an author when I have a book published.
Yes, I refer to myself as a writer. Via a powerful one-two punch. Firstly, I use the logic that if I write then I'm a writer. Secondly, I use Dunning-Kruger sans the logic.
A writer. It's taken me years to own that identity. I worked in my head and heart on this. Spoke it out loud. Strengthened my writing practice. Found my writing community. Did collage art to manifest this identity on the page. Committed to this identity. Wrote, wrote, wrote. Submitted. Got published. And now, five years in, am confident claiming it. :) [I write short-form creative nonfiction: personal essays, micro memoir and 50-word stories.]
I startedI started calling myself a writer around the same time I shifted from querying illustration projects to querying text only. It definitely took a while before I felt worthy, before I felt I was spending enough time consistently applying myself to writing. I don't think it has to be that way, but it was for me. "Author" can be limiting. Sometimes the term doesn't feel like it has enough facets: I write articles, puzzles, flash fiction, novels, drama, copy—and am published in several of those arenas. So I totally own the label "author" when it's in context of a book. But also for me it's a distinction, same as the different connotations between artist and illustrator. The title "writer" speaks about my body of work as well as my aspirations. calling myself a writer around the same time I shifted from querying illustration projects to querying text only. It definitely took a while before I felt worthy, before I felt I was spending enough time consistently applying myself to writing. I don't think it has to be that way, but it was for me. "Author" can be limiting. Sometimes the term doesn't feel like it has enough facets: I write articles, puzzles, flash fiction, novels, drama, copy—and am published in several of those arenas. So I totally own the label "author" when it's in context of a book. But also for me it's a distinction, same as the different connotations between artist and illustrator. The title "writer" speaks about my body of work as well as my aspirations.
I refer to myself as a writer because other writers refer to me as a writer. I write, after all. But when I speak at events, I refer to these events as author talks because I talk about books I've published. The terminology is largely a matter of choice, I'd say.
Do you write? Then you're a writer, aren't you? Even if that feels silly, it's true. You're writing. That's what writers do. Have you published a book? Then you're an author. Claim being a writer when you're ready. But know it's been true since your first draft of anything, good, bad, or indifferent.
Are you terrible at writing? Read Bulwer-Litton's "Paul Clifford." It's opening line is mocked as "It was a dark and story night." That's not actually the worst thing about the novel: read the opening two pages. If memory serves me, they're absolutely drek. You're probably writing better than that already, and Paul Clifford was published.
Not ready yet? Washington Romance Writers, my local chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA), tends to call those who are not yet published "pre-published writers." This is to get them used to the fact that when you have the intent to write, and write, you're a writer. I may be a year after your manuscript is complete, or several, before you sell it. Famously, great writers have a hard time selling books once they have a complete manuscript, just like the rest of us.
I published first in 1977. It was a pamphlet of rules for tabletop games, with a senior partner, Leon Tucker, who had published such rules already. So writer came easily; I just hadn't published fiction yet. I first published a fiction book in 2019. Now, with David Hochhalter, we have eight self-published books out. Yup. We're proud authors. Having already published in 1977, I got used to being an author almost instantly when David and my first book, Wandmaking 101, was in our hands in trade paperback. I always knew I'd publish fiction, even when writing my first trunk novel back in 1973. So, when I published in 2019, it was more "it's about time" than about self-doubt. -tc
I love this question because it depends. At first, I did not feel worthy to call myself a journalist because I did not grow up in a newsroom or go to J-school, but at some point I admitted to myself that's one of my labels, but I usually just say "writer" or "author." If I'm talking education I sometimes revert to "journalist" because that's where I got my start in education writing. Oddly, I don't say the same when talking about parenting, I think because parenting writers don't get much respect in journalism. Just realize that bias this very second.
I have since I was 19 and went to my first writer’s conference. I tried to pitch my first fantasy novel there (which I cringe at right now because I was sooo clueless). Thankfully one of the editors took pity on me and kind of took me under her wing a little bit, and told me “Stop saying you want to be a writer. You ARE a writer.”
Then, I noticed that people would take me a little more seriously when I said I WAS a writer, rather than I WANTED to be.
So that’s always been my advice to new writers—if you have actually been brave enough to take the step of putting down words on a blank page, you ARE a writer. Give yourself the confidence boost of calling yourself one.
I feel that to be an author, you need to be published, while anyone who devotes a significant time to writing can call themselves a writer. Ofc, what is significant is subjective—in my case, I started calling myself a writer once I took a career break to focus on my manuscript. I'll call myself an author if/when my ms is published
Writer and author are synonyms, so I can be both.
As soon as I published my first book, ten years ago, I felt free to call myself an author. I wasn't sure I could before.
So funny that this question comes up now. Yesterday I was at Staples, printing up my latest essay I have been working on for my m emoir class, and the gentleman helping me out, asked me if I was a writer. At first I started to say no, but then, at the last minute, I shook my head and said, "Yes! I am!" He then asked me how long I have been writing and I replied, "basically all my life, as soon as I could pick up a pen and record my thoughts with it." Am I published? Not yet, but I believe it is now time to claim that title, and beleive in it and I will soon attract the rest.
I often refer to myself as a writer, though it feels really vague! I have a Substack, I travel and tell stories with The Moth, I freelance occasionally, and I've written some *as yet unpublished* books. I feel like if I were more on top of my personal branding, I'd have a catchier explanation when people ask what I do, haha
I would say Writer for the following long-winded reason:
I enjoy jazz music, which requires an individual’s complete familiarity with an instrument and a band’s familiarity with each other, enough to improvise a piece of music with no sheet music to follow note-for-note during a performance.
The use of sarcasm and irony in technically-worded writing is like jazz music to me.
Anyone can appreciate a piece of classical music for its precision and complexity, but not everyone “gets” jazz music.
I feel like it takes a uniquely human audience to “get” my style. And that makes me happy to share it.
I write books--and other things--and therefore I am an author. We work for many years to earn this title; we should use it!
I refer to myself as a writer but not an author. When I have a book published I'll call myself an author. I didn't feel like I could call myself a writer until I started writing poetry and my book again, and it helped a lot when my first poem was published. I'm trying to "fake it till I make it" with an author website but I battle imposter syndrome every day!
Writer is how I am referring to myself now that I am trying to put my own words out into the world. Of course I've always been a writer, but as a professional moniker it remains somewhat new. Editor is the more comfortable label after decades of working with words professionally and as a writing instructor. If I tell someone I am an author, they immediately want to know what books I've had published and it induces imposter syndrome in me. For the general public, it's easier to answer "writer." I'll refer to myself as an author when I have a book published.
I have been a writer and editor for years, but I have recently been able to call myself an author--my first book was published late last year.
I now run a writing group. Love encouraging others. Spread the joy!
Yes, I refer to myself as a writer. Via a powerful one-two punch. Firstly, I use the logic that if I write then I'm a writer. Secondly, I use Dunning-Kruger sans the logic.
A writer, When I became part of a creative community and found my tribe. Also now writing is a regular part of my life.
A writer. It's taken me years to own that identity. I worked in my head and heart on this. Spoke it out loud. Strengthened my writing practice. Found my writing community. Did collage art to manifest this identity on the page. Committed to this identity. Wrote, wrote, wrote. Submitted. Got published. And now, five years in, am confident claiming it. :) [I write short-form creative nonfiction: personal essays, micro memoir and 50-word stories.]
I startedI started calling myself a writer around the same time I shifted from querying illustration projects to querying text only. It definitely took a while before I felt worthy, before I felt I was spending enough time consistently applying myself to writing. I don't think it has to be that way, but it was for me. "Author" can be limiting. Sometimes the term doesn't feel like it has enough facets: I write articles, puzzles, flash fiction, novels, drama, copy—and am published in several of those arenas. So I totally own the label "author" when it's in context of a book. But also for me it's a distinction, same as the different connotations between artist and illustrator. The title "writer" speaks about my body of work as well as my aspirations. calling myself a writer around the same time I shifted from querying illustration projects to querying text only. It definitely took a while before I felt worthy, before I felt I was spending enough time consistently applying myself to writing. I don't think it has to be that way, but it was for me. "Author" can be limiting. Sometimes the term doesn't feel like it has enough facets: I write articles, puzzles, flash fiction, novels, drama, copy—and am published in several of those arenas. So I totally own the label "author" when it's in context of a book. But also for me it's a distinction, same as the different connotations between artist and illustrator. The title "writer" speaks about my body of work as well as my aspirations.
I refer to myself as a writer because other writers refer to me as a writer. I write, after all. But when I speak at events, I refer to these events as author talks because I talk about books I've published. The terminology is largely a matter of choice, I'd say.
Do you write? Then you're a writer, aren't you? Even if that feels silly, it's true. You're writing. That's what writers do. Have you published a book? Then you're an author. Claim being a writer when you're ready. But know it's been true since your first draft of anything, good, bad, or indifferent.
Are you terrible at writing? Read Bulwer-Litton's "Paul Clifford." It's opening line is mocked as "It was a dark and story night." That's not actually the worst thing about the novel: read the opening two pages. If memory serves me, they're absolutely drek. You're probably writing better than that already, and Paul Clifford was published.
Not ready yet? Washington Romance Writers, my local chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA), tends to call those who are not yet published "pre-published writers." This is to get them used to the fact that when you have the intent to write, and write, you're a writer. I may be a year after your manuscript is complete, or several, before you sell it. Famously, great writers have a hard time selling books once they have a complete manuscript, just like the rest of us.
I published first in 1977. It was a pamphlet of rules for tabletop games, with a senior partner, Leon Tucker, who had published such rules already. So writer came easily; I just hadn't published fiction yet. I first published a fiction book in 2019. Now, with David Hochhalter, we have eight self-published books out. Yup. We're proud authors. Having already published in 1977, I got used to being an author almost instantly when David and my first book, Wandmaking 101, was in our hands in trade paperback. I always knew I'd publish fiction, even when writing my first trunk novel back in 1973. So, when I published in 2019, it was more "it's about time" than about self-doubt. -tc