What Makes a Person a "Writer"

Not long ago a friend made the comment that I wasn't really a writer because I only had short stories published. I was surprised and a little hurt and immediately thought "Well, YOU have never had anything published so THERE!" But then I calmed down and breathed through the threatening tears and just smiled.

So then I saw on a forum another writer that basically didn't consider herself a writer for this very reason. It made me wonder "What Makes a Person a Writer" and it has been bothering me since.

To me, if you put pen to paper in any attempt at poetry or fiction or nonfiction, you're a writer. You could be an unpublished writer or a published writer, a short story writer or a novel writer. Heck, you could even be a good writer or a bad writer. You're still a writer no matter what format.

Don't get me started on the word "author." Seriously.

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Carey Burns

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