Saturday, May 16, 2009

What's an author?

I was just trying to read the blog of an arrogant man. It lists all of his accomplishments, and they are impressive. About the author, it says at the left.

Does that make him the equal of Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway and some guy who wrote a book in 1937?


We become writers for lots of reasons. Some of us make our living writing for newspapers or magazines or whatever. Some of us scramble around, looking desperately for a few dollars here or there.


Others of us write because we have to. Even when we're not writing, we're looking at the world like writers, listening to the rhythms of conversations and watching the patterns of interactions.


Some people write blogs just to say they're published writers. Most of us wish we could write and publish a novel just to say we did it. No money, just satisfaction.


Some guys don't like to write but like to finish writing. Me? I love sitting at the computer and composing. I'm not a great writer, and I don't think of myself as an author. As with singing, and I'm no Domingo, I just love to write. I get satisfaction from writing this blog and another one — http://tg-editor-proofreader.blogspot.com/, but I'd rather get paid to do it.


In my last job, I was the sports editor for a small paper. I was doing what I was born to do — putting out a sports section. It required me to write, edit, take photos and lay out pages. Perfect.


The job also provided a sense of self worth; it felt great to go to work, knowing I was useful and good at what I did. I was a newspaperman again.


I've written or co-written four non-fiction books. Am I writer or an author? Normally, I say I'm a writer, but I will say that I'm the author of such and such book. Writer doesn't seem to fit there.



Contact: I can be reached at tgilli52@gmail.com or nc3022@yahoo.com. Also, my Twitter handle is EDITORatWORK.
Entries from The Dog Blog
Blog entries from The Auto Racing Journal
(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)
(the book of great NASCAR stories)

1 comment:

Philip O'Mara said...

I just wrote a book to fulfill a dream, don't really care if it sells. Feel so proud that it has been published.
This is an adult sporting comedy that follows the fortunes of Paul Marriot, the secretary of the Barnstorm Village Sunday soccer team and coach of a school cricket team in Yorkshire, England. The story describes the remarkable camaraderie between the players and supporters of this little club and their desire to achieve success. Nonetheless, the team is known more for its antics off the field, rather than their performances on it.

During his time at the club he meets and becomes involved with Emma Potter, who is the sister of James Potter, a major player for their bitter rivals Moortown Inn. Thus, begins an entangled web of romance and conflict. He also begins working at Derry High School, a school with a poor reputation of academic success, where he becomes coach of the school cricket team. Here he develops an amazing relationship with the children and embarks on an epic journey.
www.eloquentbooks.com/ClassesApart.html

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