What is a "real" writer?

Nancy Famolari posted a blog entry entitled "Are You a Real Writer?" She stated a group set the criteria for being called a published author to mean a published author is a "writer" who receives an advance from a publisher.

In other words, that group considers one is only an author if he or she becomes indebted to the publisher. Yes, that's what an advance is -- a debt that will be repaid by royalties being withheld until the advance is repaid.

According to Joe Quirk (novelist, humorist, and ghostwriter): Your advance (from a publisher) is a LOAN with your career as collateral. If borrowing money from your credit card at 8% interest to support your writing is a bad idea, than borrowing money from a big New York publisher against books you haven't sold yet is a catastrophic idea. Bankruptcy ends after 7 years. The Red Mark next to your name is forever.

Therefore, according to the narrow, unrealistic definition of a published author by that group, only a writer who goes into debt to a publisher qualifies.

I am a writer because I write. Emily Dickinson never received an advance, was never paid for her work, and wasn't even "discovered" until after her death. Yet, no one can deny that she was a writer, an author: because she wrote, used words as colors to create images on the canvas of sheets of paper.

Yes, I've been paid for some of my writings and I've received some royalties, but I was a writer before I ever received a penny. I used words as my tools to create visual imagery on paper and computer screen. That action makes me a writer.

Other bloggers addressing this topic:

Harry Gilleland
Karen Cioffi-Ventrice
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Mystery fan deluxe

I love mysteries, and I have since I discovered Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and the Bobbsey Twins many, many eons ago.

Yes, even then I had enough brain cells to know what fiction was, but that didn't matter. Imagination still took me with the young sleuths, as they called themselves, to solve mysteries and to have adventure.

Tony Hillerman was one of my favorite mystery authors when I became an adult, and his leaving us saddened me. I'm just glad I was able to meet him in person. My farewell to Tony Hillerman is posted on Vivian's Mysteries.

Among my favorite living authors is William Bernhardt, whom I've met several times. He allowed me to interview him last year, and I updated the interview and posted it on Vivian's Mysteries.

Bill is from Oklahoma, as are several good writers. Carolyn Hart is one author I enjoy reading. So is Marcia Preston. Hmmm ... I need to make a list of the mystery writers from Oklahoma. That would make a great post for my mystery blog.


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Please check Vivian's Mysteries for mystery information about books, authors, and writing tips and Vivian's Site for other information.


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Sick and busy or busy being sick

I've been sick for three weeks: first allergies, then sinus infection, and finally bronchitis. I seemed to be better for a day or maybe two before I'd feel worse again. Finally I went to the doctor this afternoon. Let's see, I was given an inhaler, a shot, a prescription for strong antibiotics, and advice to continue taking the OTC decongestant I was taking (bubble wrap to survive the illness experience). I'm coughing less and actually took two long naps.

Today The Muse Online Writers Conference began and lasts all week with live-chat sessions and forum "classes." (If a person is interested and not already registered, it's too late now. However I would suggest everyone should watch for enrollment for next year.) However, I'm registered and wanted to attend several chats and follow some forums. I missed all the chats today and tonight I wanted to attend, either because I was at the doctor's or sleeping. The forums can be followed at my pace, thankfully.

Lea Schizas with help from Carolyn Howard-Johnson worked hard to put the conference together. I don't know how both women do all they do.

4RV Publishing has a forum on the conference list, and I did manage to cover all the posts today, some later than I expected, but a responses are posted.

Hopefully I'll be able to follow the chats I scheduled tomorrow and keep up with the forums. I've already learned things that will help me improve my writing and also help authors with the company.

So, I need to do the following this week (use brain cells): write a Short Story Newsletter for Writing.Com; keep up with the 4RV forum on The Muse Conference site; attend live chat sessions to learn more to improve writing, publishing, marketing, and more; "attend" the sessions through the forums and do the same as through chats. Other than that, I need to do the regular publishing jobs on my desk.

Cross posted on Vivian's Site