Those who actually read my blog posts may notice that I often chop and change between calling myself a Writer or an Author. So, which am I?

Well, both actually. I have been writing stories since I was taught how to construct a sentence, and I’ve been a published author since 2013. And for a time I basically went about as proud as punch telling people I was an Author – note the capital A. I made myself that glittery badge and all… well, at least I told people on here I did. 😉

Now, although I said I did go around telling people I was an Author (and I still sometimes do if there is the hope of drumming up a sale – a shaking my assets moment) I don’t anymore. No, I’ve reverted to being a Writer – yes with a capital W – and am rather proud of it too.

You see, not all Writers are Authors, but I would like to think all Authors are indeed Writers. Though, does this include those who write just to make sales and money? No, I don’t think they really are Writers with a capital W… merely someone who writes. As we Writers are people who have to write to get the stories out of our heads. Getting published and having people (who aren’t friends of family) actually buy and enjoy our books is just an added bonus. Those Authors who just churn out cookie cutter style stories simply to make money aren’t Writers; they’re Business People, as they are doing it as a business rather than as a way to keep the voices happy. 🙂 Now, I’m not saying all Writers are loopy and have voices in their heads that need silencing with a good few hours of typing madly away at a computer. I just know there is a good whack of us who are like this, and I get along with such Writer’s quite well.

In plainer terms, I am a Writer as I live and love to write. I am only an Author when I am trying to sell what it is I have written. So, on this blog I am still ‘an Author’ as, you see, I am still trying to sell myself to you and encourage you to like me and my books. Another shaking my assets moment, but one done in such a way I was kind of hoping you wouldn’t notice. I’ve ruined that now, haven’t I? 😉

Isn’t it better to be an Author than a Writer? I suppose so, in a way. It was my dream to become an Author and now that I’m living in the anti-climactic limbo of it all, I wonder what else I could dream to achieve. Yes, the blatantly obvious answer is to become an even better Author, perhaps even one people have actually heard of? One who has sold more than forty odd books? Maybe I’ll get there, maybe shaking my assets – now getting a little sore from all this shaking – will help? But that takes time, effort and a lot more blogging, shaking and writing. And so I am officially returning to the title of just being a Writer.

Being a Writer is far more fun. You don’t have to do book launches, smile cheesily at photographers to appear in the paper, shake a damned thing (unless you want to) and all you actually get to do is – write! Yippee! As that’s all I really want to do – and leave all the shaking and what not to someone else – I am far happier as a Writer.

Would I still be a Writer if I’d never been offered a publishing contract and made into an Author? Oh hell yes. But I would have also still tried to be an Author too. I may possibly have gone down the path of being self-published to become an Author, but I would not have learnt as much nor had as many experiences as an Author as I’ve had by doing it via a Publisher… Experience that has made me satisfied to be just a Writer. Had I not been offered the contract, I would have still been a Writer and will be one forever. But I would have been one wanting to be an Author… and now I am one, I may only be an Author for the next five years that my work is under said contract. See, being a Writer is the far better choice. If only I’d known. 😉

What, if anything, would I do differently as an Author now I know more about what it is to be one? Not a thing, as I wouldn’t have known half the stuff I do now, or be able to be happy with my ‘Writer’ badge if I changed my past experiences. What we do and how we react is what makes us what we are and makes our lives what they become. I needed the rejections, the snubs, the encouragements, all of it. That is what makes a good Writer into any sort of Author.

Will I keep starting every paragraph with a question? Sure, why not, it’s amusing me and that’s one of the main reasons I am a Writer. I enjoy it, it amuses me and it stops those damned voices in my head. So why not?

So, remembering to use the all important capitals, are you an Author or a Writer?

Until next time,

Janis. XXOO