THE Group for Authors! discussion

Since I am the author of a published novel, I could tell people that I am a writer. There would be nothing wrong with that, I just personally choose not to. Why?

I drive a car, but do not refer to myself as a driver. That title is more appropriately applicable to chauffeurs and NASCAR racers.

Occasionally, I will post a review of a book I've read on a literary website, but I do not refer to myself as a reviewer. That title is usually utilized to describe established professionals contracted by a newspaper or magazine to review books.

I cook my own meals, but I never refer to myself as a cook. That title is bestowed upon those whose skills are utilized by restaurants to provide meals for its patrons.

As previously mentioned, I wrote a novel, but do not refer to myself as a writer. I personally believe that title should be reserved for those who have garnered significant notoriety within the literary world and whose writing has achieved a fair amount of commercial success.

Rather than laying claim to the title Writer, I'll wait until certain others - the general reading public, professional literary critics and successful authors - bestow it upon me. It is highly unlikely that will ever actually happen, but if it does, then I will gladly tell people that I am a writer.

Huh. I refer to myself as all those things during certain conversations: I'm the driver, I'm tonight's cook, I'm a writer. And while driving and cooking may be discreet occurrences, writing is an ongoing process, so I don't have an issue referring to myself as a writer in the present tense even when I'm not actively typing. To each.

K.A. wrote: "Huh. I refer to myself as all those things during certain conversations: I'm the driver, I'm tonight's cook, I'm a writer. And while driving and cooking may be discreet occurrences, writing is an o..."

K.A.,

As stated in the original post, there is absolutely nothing wrong with referring to oneself in the manner you describe. It is not intended to suggest that others follow my example.

On more than one occasion, someone who has checked my Goodreads profile has asked why I seldom indicate that I am a writer when participating in a discussion thread. The post is merely an explanation in response to those inquiries.

I don't know that is so important to describe oneself as a "writer", but I suspect if one is so humble as to not even let others know he or he has written a book one is all but inviting an invisibility which needs no beckoning for most people who write. In telling others about one's writing there will be those who are skeptical, bored, disinterested, or merely consider one pretentious for even mentioning such a grand pursuit. I'm convinced that for some people it is perhaps a reaction not unlike someone who reads yet another Facebook post from Sally Smith in which Sally is gloating about her cruise to Alaska mere weeks after she had returned from a safari in Africa. It may not be full blown jealousy, but is at least in the same sour stratosphere. On the other hand, there will be those who find such a startling revelation amusing or interesting and seem genuinely surprised that they actually know or have met someone who has written a book, any book, successful or not. These are either secretly aspiring writers, people blissfully detached from the accomplishments of others, or folks so bored by the hum-drum of ordinary conversation they take an unexpected delight in meeting a "published person". Perhaps that is a less ostentatious way to avoid the pretension of referring to oneself as a writer. It is literal to a rather absurd fault, but allows one the private luxury of flapping one's wings a bit without stirring up too much dust or coming across as a superior being. I can't help but ponder how Oscar Wilde presented himself to others, for he seemed to have thought that those cloaking themselves in feigned humility were not so much humble as courting their own obscurity. He seemed to have no qualms about tooting his own horn while not giving a hoot what others thought. It's all a matter of personal style I suppose.

Steven wrote: "... there will be those who find such a startling revelation amusing or interesting and seem genuinely surprised that they actually know or have met someone who has written a book, any book, successful or not. " I do not bandy about the fact that I have written a book even though I am justifiably proud of it because, like most people, I recognize the motivation behind bragging. However, it is nice to receive some reward, some regard from friends and acquaintances. Anonymity is punishment.

Jim; by your own definition there's an insinuation of only professionals calling themselves thise things. So, someone who gets paid for their skills. Do people not pay for your books?

I'm honestly not criticising. Call yourself what you want. Totally your perogative.
I just worried a little you may be being harsh upon yourself? Credit where credit's due?

I'm neither a published author nor a writer, nor do I work in the publishing industry, but I AM a reviewer. I purchase books, or obtain them by other (legal!) means, and then I tell people what I thought of those books. I'm not claiming for myself a title which belongs to another. I'm merely expressing an opinion on a consumer product.

So, please, spare me your pretension.

To mention the fact the fact that one writes doesn't seem to bother most people I chat with. Just don't put them on the spot and ask them the name of the last book they read, or you may get the "deer in the headlights" look.
I don't do that, as it reminds me of the time a woman at work set up a blind date for me. I met the man in a Thai restaurant, and he appeared to have some sort of printed information to guide him through our "date". We'd barely been seated when he began asking me a series of pre-planned questions for the occasion. I felt like I was at a job interview!
I nearly choked on a rogue peppercorn when he asked "What were the last 3 stage musicals you attended?" I contemplated the question as I tried to avoid the emergent need of a Heimlich maneuver. My God,all I could think of was someone forcing me to sit through "Annie Get Your Gun" in 1981. Then a spark of lucidity returned and I replied with a hint of humor lost upon my robo-date: " I saw 'Mamma Mia' a couple months ago. Does that count?" He looked at me in horror and reached for his wallet; the blind date was over and I was summarily dismissed.
This unfortunate experience reminds me never to put people on the spot about their reading habits or lack thereof. Almost everyone wants to appear as if they read books, even while statistics show that few actually do. Saying "I am a writer" may only elicit a fleeting expression of doe-eyed pity in return. Far, far worse is the more general expression, "I am an artist". This may be responded to with a look of such undisguised scorn one may feel impaled on the spot. I live in Los Angeles where 90% of the population consider themselves "artists". Even my cable guy describes himself as an "audio/visual graphics designer".
I admire your humble approach to this "writer" thing. Jim. I think I will try it and have the forbearance not to mention that I write. I have determined not to call myself a writer until one of my book covers is emblazoned with "A New York Times Best Seller". Since this announcement seems to be on every other book I read it may not be that long.

Steven wrote: "To mention the fact the fact that one writes doesn't seem to bother most people I chat with. Just don't put them on the spot and ask them the name of the last book they read, or you may get the "de..."
I love your response Steven...you have a whimsical nature that tells it like it is...I am sure that it presents itself in your 'writing'...my kids told me that if I say 'it's in the book' one more time...they would no longer go out in public with me...eluding to the fact that maybe I should have saved something for book 2 and 3 of the series...lol...oh well, you know what they say back East...c'est la vie...

good heavens, you look like you could be Joni Mitchell's younger sister. Are you Canadian? well....if I am "whimsical" it is a reflection of being half-Irish. surprise. The other half is German; 'nuff said. Your kids are lucky to have a mother who has a creative life; kids notice everything. EVERYTHING. lol

Steven wrote: "good heavens, you look like you could be Joni Mitchell's younger sister. Are you Canadian? well....if I am "whimsical" it is a reflection of being half-Irish. surprise. The other half is German; 'n..."
I am Canadian and Joni Mitchell has a summer home where I live; lots of Irish content in book 2...wrote 2 poems for a Joni Mitchell tribute held at our local art gallery GPAG...must send them off to you...I am after all a Writer...lol

thanks Susan. Her picture is up on my wall.; I adore her.

For my point of view, a writer is someone who writes.

Susan wrote: "For my point of view, a writer is someone who writes."

Because I am a writer, I will add my two cents here. I have been a writer since my earliest days. I was a soldier for a while but that was a role that was forced on me. I was pretty athletic back in the day but I have never considered myself an athlete. I earned a degree in engineering during my college years. I went on to earn a masters degree in computer scientist. At one time, I was a top notch software developer. That was part of what I did during the 40 years that I was an engineer. The one constant throughout those years was the need to express myself in writing. Now I am retired - that is the absence of defining purpose for my life. Writing is now the defining purpose of my life. So I am at last what I have always been - a writer.

The original post describes my personal reasoning for not referring to myself as a writer. Message 3 explains the reason for posting it in the first place. Perhaps the additional information will help to explain better.

Writing a novel was just one of four items included in a bucket list that my late wife insisted I create upon retiring in 2001 at the age of 53. I finally got around to it in 2009.

Creating a polished manuscript and then working with and learning from those assigned to help convert it into a commercially viable book was an extremely enjoyable, interesting and challenging endeavor. That said; there are just too many other enjoyable, interesting and challenging endeavors that I wish to pursue during whatever time I have left. Therefore, my first novel, released five years ago, will probably also be the last.

To those of you who actually are writers in the truest sense of the word, I wish you success. Who knows? Perhaps someday I may be able to boast to acquaintances that I knew that writer before they became a famous bestselling author.

Of course no one is obliged to identify as a writer.

However, in my view, and that of the OED, it is the intent that makes the difference. A writer or author is someone who has the intention of making the writing of books or articles a career or profession.

Commercial success has little to do with it, so long as the person has carried the effort all the way to having the book published and put on the market, or regularly submits articles to a publication for money.

Being an "Award Winning", "Best Selling", or just plain "Successful" writer is another thing altogether.

well said, Joe

Jim wrote: "The original post describes my personal reasoning for not referring to myself as a writer. Message 3 explains the reason for posting it in the first place. Perhaps the additional information will h..."

Ooh! That makes more sense. Just a one off thing that you wanted/neede to do.
I still think it makes you a writer but call ourself as you wish.
Good luck with the rest of the list. xx
And congratulations on ticking one off. It's a tremendpus achievement.

TL Clark (author of love) wrote: "Jim wrote: "The original post describes my personal reasoning for not referring to myself as a writer. Message 3 explains the reason for posting it in the first place. Perhaps the additional inform..."

Thank you for the kind words Ms. Clark.

I see that you have authored five published works. Having personally experienced the time, effort and discipline required to produce just one book, I salute you. I honestly don't believe that I could do that.

I wish you continued success in your writing career.

One could always refer to oneself, too, as an "author," which does not imply that writing is one's only occupation, professional or avocational. Or one could just state, "I write." Again, however naturally such statements may come up in conversation.

Steven wrote: "...he appeared to have some sort of printed information to guide him through our "date". We'd barely been seated when he began asking me a series of pre-planned questions for the occasion. I felt like I was at a job interview! ..."

How dreadful! At least your robo-date (LOVE this term!) got out of there fast. It's possible he could have been programmed to hang in there ad infinitum.

Steven wrote: "....he appeared to have some sort of printed information to guide him through our "date". We'd barely been seated when he began asking me a series of pre-planned questions for the occasion. I felt like I was at a job interview!..."

Can you tuck that experience into a novel somewhere? What a detail! There's got to be some good that can come out of such a sour experience.

Jim wrote: "The original post describes my personal reasoning for not referring to myself as a writer. Message 3 explains the reason for posting it in the first place. Perhaps the additional information will h..."
I understand your perspective. I come at it from a different direction. For me, writing is like running, I do it (or did it) because it felt good. I needed to get it out of my system. At several points in my life, I have had conversations with people who wanted to take up running for health reasons and envied me because I just went out and ran. I couldn't help them. Running was never a chore for me so I couldn't tell them how to get past the fact that they basically didn't like to get out and run. I write. I am not a bad writer. I doubt that anyone will ever consider me a great writer. There is a good chance that my foray into professional writing will be a waste of money. But that is what I have to do to satisfy my need to say what's on my mind. So be it. I suspect that Emily Dickinson would flunk your test for being a writer. Her poems were scribbled on scraps of paper and stuffed in a drawer. We only know about them because her sister rescued them and made them available to us. Samuel Pepys certainly didn't polish his diary for publication. Cicero's letters can be entertaining even though he did not write them for publication. In my mind, these people wrote because they were writers.

Joe wrote: "Jim wrote: "The original post describes my personal reasoning for not referring to myself as a writer. Message 3 explains the reason for posting it in the first place. Perhaps the additional inform..."

Joe,

The historical individuals you reference are excellent examples to support your perspective. One of the most intriguing aspects of almost any subject of discussion or debate, at least in my mind, are the often differing and opposite perspectives. What a boring world this would be if everyone shared the exact same opinion about the same things all the time.

Jim wrote: " One of the most intriguing aspects of almost any subject of discussion or debate, at least in my mind, are the often differing and opposite perspectives. What a boring world this would be if everyone shared the exact same opinion about the same things all the time.."
Amen. Thanks for starting a great discussion.

Yes, it might make for a comical scene in a book at some point, but any sort of dicey interaction like blind dates, speed dating, or online hook-ups can easily offer material ripe for humor. When I told the woman from work who set up this blind date for me that we were not a match, she shrugged and said, "Oh well. He has a rug anyway." I replied, "A 'rug'?" "Yes," she said, pointing to the top of her head. I consider myself lucky for it not to have worked out, not due to his "rug", but his rigid reliance on a script for the "date", which was impersonal and off-putting from the moment we met. It was a waste of very good Pad-Thai and the only blind date I have ever had.

Steven wrote: "It was a waste of very good Pad-Thai and the only blind date I have ever had..."

You didn't abscond with the abandoned Pad-Thai!? I would have. Even if my appetite had vanished in the dismay of the moment, I know it will always come back.

It doesn't seem to matter whether one dates opposite-sex or same-sex - horror stories from blind dates far outnumber the happy-ending blind dates. Our friends should know enough to stop trying, and allow us to cultivate our own deeper relationships.

(I can't say I have much credibility on this subject, never having been on a blind date - from the sounds of things, thank God! - and having been happily married for 31 years.) (Guess I'll stick to absconding with the Pad-Thai.)

Sally wrote: "I can't say I have much credibility on this subject, never having been on a blind date - from the sounds of things, thank God! - and having been happily married for 31 years"

the last time I was on a blind date was about thirty one years ago. We went to a dinner theater. The play was "Playing our song." Less than a year later we got married.

Thank you for sharing that Joe. It sounds like a date with destiny! Perhaps I will stop turning a blind eye to the possibilities of a blind date again, especially considering your story.
The thread of this discussion has taken some interesting turns since its origin from a man simply stating why he prefers not to call himself a "writer". I plead guilty to the charge of digression. I did not intend to divert the thread to a mini-forum on the culinary delights of Pad-Thai or the bumps of blind dating, but it's fun to hear different perspectives from other people who have taken on the monolithic task of writing a book. May you be sustained by whatever pot of tea or nutritional sustenance motivates and energizes, as well as the support of those cheering you on.
In the end, it may make no difference whether we refer to ourselves as writers or literary dabblers or casual scribblers on random napkins as long as we expressed something we felt compelled to express in written language. To receive royalties or glowing reviews or know one has left some little scratch, some engraving on the cavernous wall of life, no matter how modest, is remarkable. Consider how many stories people carry about with them in their hearts and minds and how few will make it to the printed page. All perils of punctuation and plot, frustration with files and formats, and form letters of rejection from pitiless publishers aside, to write is, if not a privilege, at least a hell of a hobby and a cool pursuit with the potential of taking on a vivid and lasting life of its own. Let us encourage one another.

Steven wrote: "Thank you for sharing that Joe. It sounds like a date with destiny! Perhaps I will stop turning a blind eye to the possibilities of a blind date again, especially considering your story.
The thre..."
Just an FYI Steven. My wife died in January 1985. In October a friend suggested a date with a friend of hers. It turns out the woman's husband had died in 1978. We had four children between us with the oldest (hers) being 20 years older than the youngest (mine). It took a great deal of stubbornness to make it through the early years. I believe there is someone out there for you. I sincerely hope you get lucky and if you do, I hope you are hard headed enough to work through the rough times.

Jim wrote: "Since I am the author of a published novel, I could tell people that I am a writer. There would be nothing wrong with that, I just personally choose not to. Why?

I drive a car, but do not refer to..."

Jim wrote: "Since I am the author of a published novel, I could tell people that I am a writer. There would be nothing wrong with that, I just personally choose not to. Why?

I drive a car, but do not refer to..."

You're a writer if you decide you're a writer. Publishing is irrelevant. (Unless you say your a published writer)

It' seems like quibbling and a personal choice. Everyone has the right to refer to themselves as they wish,
Success or the lack thereof will not be reliant upon how we label ourselves. Someone might call him or herself a " dabbler" of the written word but if they write the next "50 Shades of Gray" they will assuredly become known as a writer; another may call him or herself a "literary genius" but if unable to sell copies beyond a few family and friends that label may be deemed just a wee bit on the pretentious side. It's the writing that counts, not so much the label we give ourselves, which is optional.
Best of luck to us all in a market place that sometimes seems to be raining books like cats and dogs upon a relatively slender number of habitual readers! Or, in other words, when it comes to writing something you are passionate about, "Just do it".

Steven wrote: "when it comes to writing something you are passionate about, "Just do it"...."

Totally right!

Yeah, popularity is too fickle to rely on. Bask in it if it comes your way, but then get back to work and don't take it personally when the adoring public finds a shiny, new toy. I write because the stories ask me (well, that puts it politely, sometimes they demand it!) to write them. If I get great accolades, that's icing on the cake. If I don't get any accolades, at least I still have cake, which I prefer without icing anyway. (I always asked my mother to cut out a separate piece of cake for me before she frosted it.)

Being published does makes one "an author". Many writers aren't published.

What we are not mentioning in this discussion is the possible disconnect some writers and aspiring writers have with the acceleration of change in all aspects of the arts due to technology. That reality can be dismaying for those of us with fanciful fantasies of what it would be like to be a best-selling author. There is nothing wrong with the old song lyric "I Can Dream, Can't I?" as long as one realizes that dream may be shaped by a faint, lingering nostalgia for a past in which authors were given the star treatment, adopted and petted like exotic animals by the the wealthy upper crust, socialites, and the press.
The reality of our DIY era is very different from this. In our era, anyone with a computer can make claims to being a musician, a recording artist, or a writer. Warhol's assertion that everyone may get his or her fifteen minutes of fame is here and has been for some time already. The playing field has not only been leveled; it has all but vanished under the weeds of whimsy, wild notions, and fanciful forays into creative attempts that would never have made it beyond the slush pile of legitimate publishers decades ago.
There is still an inner sanctum, an elite of authors, but for the majority of those writing, it is all about hard work, commitment, learning, and raw discipline, often with scant rewards. Most of us will not be interviewed on Oprah, invited to gourmet dinner parties, or be asked to have tea with a stellar guest list of culturally revered artists. Instead, we have to believe that we are offering something unique, some twist on the tried and true, some distinction that sets us apart from those writing books similar in subject or genre to our own.
In the meanwhile, whether we call ourselves writers or authors or mere hobbyists is only a personal choice. I hate to be cynical, but one may flap one's wings all he or she wants as to the romantic notion of being an author, but those we talk to may not take much heed until they see BMW in our drive rather than a faded Ford with an astronomical and weary odometer. I suspect it is fairly rare that someone is impressed by the mere claim that one is an author in an era in which one anyone with the ambition and nerve can self-publish utilizing the tools of technology.
That is not to say I discourage self-expression, only that it is best to keep one eye grounded in reality while the other is mesmerized by lofty notions. In the words of the esteemed R+B singer Barry White, "Right On", if I may engage in a bit of innocent word-play, "Write On..."

Wow, Steven, you do have one powerful way with words! "...The playing field has not only been leveled; it has all but vanished under the weeds of whimsy,..." Write on, man!

Thank you and much appreciated. I have a blog on goodreads. (can we say that on here? I am good at breaking rules in group forums so I must be careful.)

As you point out, it used to be that all but a few writers were flooded by obscurity because of the limited market of traditional, print publishers, agents, etc. Now all but a few writers are flooded by obscurity because of the tsunami of self-publishing opportunities. One way or another, we buck the tide. We probably always will. But if we don't write our stories, we guarantee that we will remain in literary obscurity. Like buying a lottery ticket: if we don't buy one, we surely will not win.

Sally wrote: "As you point out, it used to be that all but a few writers were flooded by obscurity because of the limited market of traditional, print publishers, agents, etc. Now all but a few writers are flood..."

Sally, I'll say Amen to what you've said! Yes, indeed Amen!!!!

Steven wrote: "What we are not mentioning in this discussion is the possible disconnect some writers and aspiring writers have with the acceleration of change in all aspects of the arts due to technology. That re..."
That is a good point Steven but the problem is universal in our society. Technical specialists are on a magic carpet ride. By the time you complete a project that was state of the art, your skills are out of date - the technology has passed you by. Now we are seeing automation in the fast food industry that is beginning to eliminate jobs. Cashiers are not needed when customers can order using an app on their cell phone and pay by credit card. Etc. etc, Mellville used a quill. Steinbeck used a typewriter. King and Patterson, et. al use a word processor. By the time my granddaughter starts publishing, writers will put on a thinking cap that will generate text on a computer equipped with extremely powerful editing, formatting and publishing software - Bingo the story will ready for market as fast as she can think it up. But people like you and I can still enjoy thinking and getting out thoughts out there like the sower in Mark's Gospel.

That's why I'm an old-fashioned sort. For the most part, I like an old-fashioned story, with an old-fashioned pace, cast with old-fashioned [read: real!] people, brought to me on old-fashioned paper with old-fashioned ink. My favorite novelists all published from the late 19th to mid-20th Century. Stories about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances - some of them more action oriented, some of them more cerebral stories, some of them a thoughtful mixture of both. Just plain good stories. But that's my preference.

Parker wrote: "You have an odd definition of writer, driver , etc. Nobody waits to claim the title of driver until they're a pro with a chauffeur's license. The entire success of Uber etc. rests on the fact that ..."

Parker,

The original post provides the reasoning behind my personally choosing not to utilize specific titles, especially that of Writer.

Message 3 clearly states that no one is expected to follow my example and explains the inspiration for posting the original comment.
Message 15 explains why I wrote a novel and why it will probably be the last time.
Message 24 explains why I occasionally share my personal opinion of a subject and respect and value the opinions of others, including yours as expressed in Message 43.

Regarding your reference to Impostor's Syndrome and its tendency to sink a career, Message 15 testifies to the fact that writing was not a career choice. For the record, I did enjoy a 33-year management career with the H.J. Heinz Company. It proved sufficiently successful and rewarding to allow me to retire as the manager of the company's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania facility in 2001 at the age of 53.

So, though I once enjoyed the earned the title of Manager, I gladly gave it up to enjoy the earned title of Retiree for the past 15 years and counting.

Steven wrote: “those we talk to may not take much heed until they see [a] BMW in our drive[way].”

Golly, I must have made it then. Lurking in my garage is a Tesla P85+. I’ve driven it for two years without a traffic citation—yet.

Seriously, I agree with Sally. Your writing craftsmanship is very good. I’m jealous. :-)

I saw what the reasoning was. It just doesn't make any sense to me. Of course you may call yourself anything you like. But denying you're a writer when you have written and published a book comes across as a defensive, ego-protecting device. Can you not see why that's off-putting?

I define my identity and if someone else doesn't like it because they think I'm not rich enough for them, quite frankly, that's their problem.

There's nothing wrong with choosing where to "out" yourself as a writer-- I write m/m romance after all, and many people are not going to be very accepting of that fact-- but I am a writer even if social forces prevent me from blasting that information at all times and spaces. To deny I am a writer because I'm writing to a niche I care about rather than writing for the millions... to me that doesn't make any sense on any level.

Parker wrote: "I saw what the reasoning was. It just doesn't make any sense to me. Of course you may call yourself anything you like. But denying you're a writer when you have written and published a book comes a..."

Parker,

Please, re-read the initial post. It clearly states that I do not deny having the technical legitimacy to lay claim to the title of Writer or any of the other titles mentioned. I merely choose not to arbitrarily do so.

If someone would ever ask if I ever wrote a book, I would gladly admit to having done so. If someone asked if I had a driver's license, cooked my own meals or posted a review of a book I've read, I would readily admit that I indeed did. Such questions seldom, if ever, come up during a conversation, at least among my acquaintances, and I do not deem it necessary to arbitrarily announce that I did all of the aforementioned things.

You are evidently proud of being a writer and, since you have written ten published works, you should be. There are several accomplishments in my life of which I am very proud. However, having written one book five years ago, being able to drive a car, posting an occasional consumer book review, and cooking my own meals do not rank among them.

Jim wrote: “I merely choose not to arbitrarily do so.”

I find this sentence somewhat confusing. Did you actually mean that you arbitrarily chose not to do so?

If so, I also respect your right to “not do so.” I also agree that we all write (those of us who are able to read and write, anyway). So we are all writers, but we are not all authors.

I say, if you have written a book, then you are an author, whether or not the book is published. If it has been published, then you are a published author.

G. wrote: "Jim wrote: “I merely choose not to arbitrarily do so.”

I find this sentence somewhat confusing. Did you actually mean that you arbitrarily chose not to do so?

If so, I also respect your right to ..."

G.,

Hopefully, this will settle the confusion, if it doesn't, after having attempted to do so several times in this thread and apparently failing, I'll have to admit defeat and give up.

I know and understand that I could quite correctly and honestly call myself any of the titles mentioned in the initial post. However, when someone inquires about what I do for a living, I choose to merely explain that I am a retiree. I see no need to inform them that I once wrote a book since I have no desire or intent to ever write another.

There was a time, not very long ago, that the title Published Author could only be legitimately claimed by a few thousand people world-wide at any given time. Today, due to the invention of the personal computer, widespread access to the internet and a proliferation of self-publishing venues, literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions, may honestly and legitimately refer to themselves as a published author.

So, I concede, and never have denied, that I am indeed a published author and, since that entailed writing a book, I am indeed a writer. There are just some other titles to which I could legitimately lay claim during my lifetime that required much more time, effort, study, hard work and formal recognition by peers to obtain. Compared to them, writing a novel and having it published were relatively easy to accomplish. Whatever others think is fine with me.

Sometimes people just have to agree to disagree. As stated in Message 24, I would find it extremely boring to live in a world in which everyone agreed about everything all the time.

Jim wrote: "Hopefully, this will settle the confusion, if it doesn't, after having attempted to do so several times in this thread and apparently failing, I'll have to admit defeat and give up."

I think you are SOL, Jim. You are engaged in a conversation with a group of compulsive communicators. This conversation could go on forever.

Joe wrote: "Jim wrote: "Hopefully, this will settle the confusion, if it doesn't, after having attempted to do so several times in this thread and apparently failing, I'll have to admit defeat and give up."

I..."

Joe,

Excellent observation. Your "S _ _ t out of luck!" comment has inspired me to terminate my efforts to respond to the many misinterpretations and misunderstandings pertaining to the original post.

I believe you are absolutely correct regarding the "compulsive communicators" theory. This discussion thread could indeed go on forever, but it will do so without me. This is my final post within this discussion thread.