Do you come across two terms “author” and “writer” when reading? Have you ever wondered what the two terms mean? Did you ever wonder which category of the two you belong to?
Writing is a diverse field. There are different types of pieces of writing that exist. In the digital world, with the influx of digital information taking place every second, it is easy to confuse the two terms. This article explains these two terms in detail and also sheds light on what the two terms encompass so you know what to call yourself. Or what to name your friend who never stops writing (read typing).
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When you read books, do you come across the term “author”? But when you read blogs, the term is “writer”. Let’s look into the two.
Books have authors, which means that they came up with the idea, wrote it, and got it published one-man show style. Note the word “published”, which implies that their work also needs to be published. There are no specific skills required. You can develop them by writing more.
A writer is someone who simply writes, which means that the work they compose does not necessarily have to be their own idea. This is where the term “ghostwriter” comes from. A writer's work does not have to be published. If a writer composes a piece of something, it might go unpublished, but it will still fall under the term writer. This requires skills in writing and organizing the content into a well-structured piece.
Writer is the main category, and author falls in the category as a sub. All authors can be categorized as writers, but vice versa is not possible. To know precisely what the difference between the two is, let’s break it down into simple points.
The work done by the author is originally theirs. They generate their own ideas. They write and format their work themself.
Writers work for others. This is where the professional freelance writer comes from. They can be ghostwriters who write or rewrite for people.
An author does not need to have a specific skill set.
A writer’s skills are specific to the job they write for because they organize the information into a specific structure. A writer needs to be skilled at writing language, structuring the type of piece they are writing, and knowledgeable in how to present their ideas through words.
An author’s work needs to be published. Their work is published under their name.
If a writer’s work is not published, they still falls under this category. Their work is published under the name they work for.
Authors’ writings are extensive such as books, whether fictional or nonfiction. They compose diverse pieces of writing such as:
They write concisely and briefly. Their writings can be fiction or nonfiction. Their written work encompasses a wide range, such as:
An author's process of writing includes extensive research, planning, and creating a draft. Their work is well-organized and detailed. Authors need to have a specific and the same narrative throughout their book. To write a complete book takes months and even years for some. Since it depends on continuous writing and rewriting until the work is perfect. After their book is complete, they get it read and edited by editors. They work closely with the publication organization to have it issued.
Writers have a more relaxed way of writing. They do not need to conduct deep research on any topic. They can let their creativity loose and write with the flow. They can use any kind of narrative to present their ideas. The editing and rewriting phase is easier since their work is not lengthy. They can issue their work anywhere. They do not need to find a publisher to get their work printed.
Writing is an interesting profession to take on if you are either an avid reader or interested in doing research. Especially for fiction lovers, writing is a fun way of putting their ideas into words with fun increasing in each sentence.
But the question here is which one to be? Let’s explore this question and help you decide on it.
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Writing is an interesting work. It includes expressing one's thoughts and ideas in words and presenting them in a well-organized way. This skill encompasses planning the content.
It includes writing, editing, and revising to refine it. Knowing grammar and spelling is not enough to become either a writer or an author. Possessing information on how to present the idea is significantly important because if the words and sentences are perfectly written, but the concept is not interesting or doesn’t catch the attention of the readers, then the composition doesn’t have a purpose.
Keep revising the draft you have written previously. Keep refining it until it becomes one that makes you surprised.
To improve at writing, read as much as possible. Read the genre or type of literary work of that you want to become an author or writer.
This article differentiates between writer vs author. It is helpful in understanding which field of literature is best for you, whether you are planning on becoming a best-selling author or want to become a freelancer who focuses on writing on diverse topics. This is an ideal field for those who like to get their ideas into black and white.
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