Someone informed me that you're not a real author until you get traditionally published?

Question

So until we reach that pinnacle, what are we? Unpublished writers, quasi-authors, non-existent authors, ghost writers...what?

If all these books we write are things of "non-importance"--then how do we get to become traditionally published?

Do we tell the agents and publishers, "Look: I have this great theme for a book, but unfortunately, I can't write it because I'm not considered a traditionally published author"?

And if not, whose books *are* these? The endless pages of personal grief, trials and tribulations, personal loss, and/or triumph--that we (as writers) pen in?

Are these our works or are they just someone else's? Someone who is traditionally published and knows more about writing than God himself?

Excuse the rant. But this individual (who shall remain nameless) really irked me at first.

Then it got me to thinking: "Hey! That person's might be onto something! If we aren't *real* authors than what the heck am I doing--still writing this book?" (lol)

Maybe I can get Stephen King to write my books for me? (chuckle)

I8pikachu:

(You did? What'd he taste like?)

The sad fact is that the industry isn't looking for "new" writers that can write so phenomenonally *well*.

They are looking for people who can write what they have for client lists and can carry on the industry's bottom line.

That's all they are interested in these days: THE MONEY. Not the craft or the author.

I can write well myself, but the truth is, I'm not mainstream *enough* for them--even though I am a new writer. It's simply a matter of good old-fashioned GREED versus common sense.

Money rules above all else--especially since the market is extremely tight. There's literally no room for new writers. Everyone is just fighting to stay alive and stay in business.

Especially since more people are reading online than they are in bookstores these days.

Answer 1

My personal opinion is that as soon as you complete your first novel,poem short story, etc.. you are an author. An unpublished author, but still an author.

The path to traditional publishing (IMO) ccan be a hard one, but just like anything else worth having, is worth the journey. Perseverance is the key.

Every writers works are important. Even if they are only important to themselves. it is what makes us writers.
As writers, we pour our hearts and souls into our writing, be it poem, short story or novel. No one has the write to belittle this effort. Writing is an art form and as such, is open to interpretation and criticism. However, we must push on! Our characters demand it of us! They deserve to have their story told! Never give up, never despair! We are on the right path! :)

Answer 2

I have copied the dictionary meaning here;

author

NOUN:


1. The writer of a book, article, or other text.
2. One who practices writing as a profession.
3. One who writes or constructs an electronic document or
system, such as a website.
4. An originator or creator, as of a theory or plan.
5. Author God.

Clearly you can see #1 makes no reference to the word published or non-published. You can go to any book store any day of the week and find all kinds of tripe written, but would you buy it or not? Most, I would not. As I see it it is matter of money, or lack there of. Being published is getting paid to be an author and being unpaid makes you no less an author. One last thought, if you go to one of those publishers that will print your book at your expense, does this make you an author? You paying for it? I don't think that that makes you an author, but the act of writing the book makes you an author published or not, you should stand tall and be proud of your work and say I AUTHORED that!

Answer 3

An author is a person who has created or is in the act of creating a written work. (from the writing sense)

Under copyright law, however, it is a person or organization which produces a work, be it written, film, painting, sculpture, etc.

From the literary sense it is a person who writes a work for a reader.

Therefore, your work does not have to be published, traditionally, or non-traditionally, for you to be an author. If, however, you are writing your thoughts for your personal use, you are a writer, someone else must read the work for you to be considered the author. You write in a diary or journal, but if you write poems or articles or a book for others to read you are the author.

Answer 4

Really I think that you're an author as soon as you write you're first story. So that would be about 2nd grade, meaning technically everyone is an author. But a professional author I think that you're technically a professional author once you organize you're book and get the ideas. To get a literary agent, type in literary agents under yahoo or google and then try to find one that will publish you're type of work. Then write them a query letter and send them the first 5 pages of you're book. Make sure to include a SASE as well.

Answer 5

We are writers. We are always writers, whether we are published or not. An author is, yes, tradionally a person who has been published at least once in some sort of magazine or whichever. Of course you can write if you're not published--where would all the published ones come from if we couldn't? Don't listen to that idiot, Sky. He's just jealous.

Answer 6

I self-published my first novel. It took a bit of money, but I had to get it out there in commercial land. I used magazines, the Internet, bookstores, the libraries, anthologies, and several booksignings.

I have quite a few stories in anthologies from publishers in the U.S. and Europe. I'm still getting checks for my first novel, which was published in 2004.

If you are accepted by a publisher (not vanity presses) in which your book or story is reviewed, then you are a published author.

Write your novel and write some query letters to literary agents who can be found in Writers Digest. Write short stories and look for an anthology to publish it in. It takes time and patience.

Good Luck!

Answer 7

It's all theory and there is no one answer. But I think the writing community has established that if you are making a living from storytelling, then you are an author.

The way you get established is you submit a story that will throw someone to the floor. There are agents who are always looking for people without any name. And publishers are in the business of making money. If they get a new author who can write spectacular stories, they'll publish them.

It's actually that simple.

The hard part is writing a phenomenal story. Most people have no clue how to do that even if they've finished several manuscripts.

Answer 8

That's an out-dated philosophy... because any jerk can be on Oprah's book club and be considered a "real author" but consider this...

Take a look at the Best Seller List... all those "authors" would fit into your friends narrow definition... and most of them are terrible!

A real author would (in my definition) be one who is known to be such in a community of artists and writers... it's a title that publishers can't give you because they are motivated by money alone...

But your peers will be able to separate the real writers from the hacks.

Answer 9

I think a good writer doesn't claim for his or her money wise success. However, the publishers want the writers with acceptable level of writing skills and talent and creativity. Those writers should be well-known and can gear the publics' minds into the field of "interesting in" or willing to pay for it. Some writers can really bring your mind into reading his or her novels for sleepless nites and give up studies in school ( not pay attention to the what the teachers say in the classes but continue to finish that novel). This kind of writer was once well-known and well-written Chinese novels and made movies, too. This could be identical or similiar to the novel of Davinci Code which is well-planned, quoted make believe religious history and deliberately distored into facts like matters. It made a hell lot of money as top sales and made movie, too.Similarily, the Chinese author did the same thing by qouting Chinese history and created many different characters, both males and females. Those kung fu styles and different "schools" are some fictional and some could be real, just like the Sui Lum temple monks. The described kung fu monks do appear in the internets and invited public challenges in the kung fu fighting.
I think you must have heard the American Yuppies. They are just a group of educated and talented young pofessinals who like the life style in the urbans and many of their life support is just by writing a book. I think the Star War is one of the yuppies creation.
As this is a commercialized society and almost everything is just for the ******* money, every one wants to have the first crack of big money. Why not? He or she can have almost everything. That's why the invited writers to write for someone is a trend of our cheating and corrupted society. Many people suspected the Bush's speech is written by his subordinates. It happened many times in Hong Kong and China and Canada, many students hired some one to sit for the qualifying exams for them. I think we individual should make up our own decision to be moral and honest or just for wealth and be crooked. I probably select a book which is well-writened,and suit my personal interest rather than by the name of the author.

Answer 10

you an author the minute you start writing , writing is completely objective, There are "traditional writers " out there who no longer care for the craft it is all about product,