People always want to know what "constitutes" a writer.  I was at a book reading back in January and it was one where myself and two other authors all read from our books.  Then, all three of us sat up in front of the room and answered questions from the audience.  This was the most fun part of the entire evening.  One guy, however, raised his hand and asked, "When do you differentiate between a writer and someone who's a hack?"

The three of us up front there looked at each other and then looked back at the person asking the question.  None of us would consider anyone making a genuine effort to write a "hack."  First off, who are we to judge?  I wrote what has to be considered "pop" fiction and the book I was there reading from was a definite B-movie style book about a demon-possessed oil rig.  Who wouldn't classify me as a "hack" of they were into "real" literature? 

To me, there are all kinds of writers and all of them have similar creative processes.  They all have things that we can learn from as artists and writers.  Whether you write short stories, plays, screenplays, teleplays, poems, songs or fiction or non-fiction, you are a writer in my book.  Stephen King once said he considers a professional writer to be anyone who has written something, got paid for it, and the check did not bounce and they used the money to pay for a bill or food or some kind of service.  There is merit to this.  I would say when this happens you are finally a "professional" writer.  However, I think you are still a writer as long as you just keep writing.

When you write for a living you run into people all the time who want to tell you that they also write.  Normally these people are poets.  I cannot tell you how many times I have had a conversation with someone and they ask me what I do and I say, "Well, I am a writer."  They then say, "Oh yeah?  I used to write.  Mostly poems."  I will then ask, "Well, do you still write?"  They shake their heads and say, "No, not really, not anymore."

Why not?  Keep writing.  You never know when someone else is going to see how talented you are.  How can you let that part of you just shrivel and die from lack of use?  Just because you aren't making a living doing it doesn't mean you should stop.  You can do things, like write, just because you love it.  Look at the number of people blogging and the number of people who leave comments on blogs.  You know people love to write, so keep doing it.

Do what you love and eventually, something will come of it.  You may never be the next Stephen King or whomever it is that you respect, but that shouldn't stop you.  Even if you just do it for yourself, you are still a writer.  A writer writes.  So, keep at it.