What Makes An Author?

[Justin]

http://jbienvenue.webs.com/apps/blog/...-

Either agreeing with what I said or in your own opinion what makes an author?

[Lexie]

I was at a talk by Peter Burnett (goodreads author) last night and he was exploring the argument that you're not an author until someone has paid money for your creative writing. I think, however, that an author is born and can't help writing, for good or ill. Having said that, and with several books out on Kindle, I didn't feel like a 'real' author till my first actual hardcopy fiction book was in my hands - a very emotional moment!

[Elizabeth]

Lexie wrote: "I was at a talk by Peter Burnett (goodreads author) last night and he was exploring the argument that you're not an author until someone has paid money for your creative writing. I think, however, ..."

I agree. :D

[L.F.]

I tend to agree with Lexie--an author is born. Although the article earned me no money, my first by-line in a newspaper was my "you've made it!" moment. Then to have people who just met me make comments on the article set my ego soaring! But holding that first printed copy of my first novel in my hands ranked near to the births of my children.

[Emma]

An author is a person who writes. We all say that the author of a piece is the person who wrote it. Even with scientific or journalistic pieces. I think what really makes an author is that the person identifies as one and describes themselves as such. Some people may be professional authors, some may be author/something else and some may be something else who also writes. I feel that generally a person would be an author when they publish their work, and that it is generally used in relation to novels, mostly fiction.

[John]

you're an artist, even if your work does not sell in your lifetime, you cut off your ear and are driven mad and killed by pigment poisoning.

Writing is an art. The need to define it narrowly has no bearing whether what is created is art. Anne Frank only wrote one book, never published while she lived. Was she an author?

I think piddling about this question is not that useful, and in some ways might be deleterious to the efforts of those who write. Call them giraffes if you want, but let them do it.

[Vardan]

I think that being the author is that simple (or incredibly hard) process of unleasing the storyteller that sits inside all of us. People who have not written a word of fiction in their life can sometimes tell stories in a way that many published authors would envy. So first of all, it is the process of overcoming the self-consciousness of not just telling your story, your fantasy or your horror to the people in your immediate vicinity but also standing in front of the anonymous group of people...THE READERS...and then actually telling a story that people will care about beyond the limitations of a language and culture and geography.

[Jim]

I must admit I've always called myself a writer rather than an author. I also think that writing is as much a 'craft' as an art.
But I agree entirely with LF, your first book is awfully close to being a child :-)

[David]

Writing is a craft. Author just means you are the creator of whatever written work - literally means that. The question isn't whether you are an author, but whether anyone takes you seriously as an author.

That takes work. You have to learn the rules. You have to read - a lot. You have to have something to say more than a "rilly kewl zombie book" - and yes, it helps if people, eventually, are willing to pay for what you do. It's like art. A lot of people draw really well, but for them to be taken seriously as an artist, they have to connect with an audience. Doesn't mean they are not artists, just that they might be the only one that knows.

I've been writing for nearly thirty years. I've been taken seriously a few times, and a LOT of people have paid money for my work... Sometimes I feel as if I'm just beginning, for all that.

DNW

[Sandra]

"Doesn't mean they are not artists, just that they might be the only one that knows."

This is a wonderful statement, David. (And I hope it's ok if I use it sometime.)

[Vardan]

Yeah, great statement on the one-person author status. I think it's pretty tricky in that way. Our society, and when I am saying our society, I mean it in the broadest, global way, is mostly basing its appreciation of art, whether it's films, books, theater or music on the popularity of the brand. It is amazing how books and movies - panned by critics for lack of merit, soar with the popular support and then many other works that are potentially more valuable in terms of saying something new are lost in obscurity. In a way, it is a closed circle as if popularity is the basis for the appreciation of the author and the lack of popular knowledge, of the brand is a hindering factor then the authors will always have a tough time making in-ways in presenting their work as they will always take the back seat to the more popular brands. At the same time, the rise of self publishing and liberalization of the film making experience has created some very valuable opportunities for authors to connect with their readers and there is a growing number of people who are willing to give a younng author a chance.

[David]

Sandra wrote: "This is a wonderful statement, David. (And I hope it's ok if I use it sometime.)"

Absolutely you may.

[David]

Vardan, the problem is that while self-publishing creates those opportunities, too many don't view them as opportunities,but short cuts - leading to a bunch of "art" that is refrigerator pin ready, but not something that is going to set the world on fire.