Now that almost anyone can become a Writer by writing something and publishing it through the internet, there are many of degrees of “writerliness” (to coin a rather lumpy word).

Writers may select from a wide array of words to describe their writing activity, depending on how large a space it occupies in their lives.

Here are a few, in no particular order…

Job. Meaning you write a lot as part of your paid employment and not at all otherwise.

Profession. Meaning you make enough money from your writing to live on. Mostly. Well, maybe supplemented by a few other activities.

Passion. Meaning you spend some time writing and a lot of time talking about it.

Avocation. Meaning you juggle writing and your day job.

Obsession. Meaning you work on your writing at your day job.

Hobby. Meaning you write for fun, without any expectation of making money.

Therapy. Meaning you write as a way of dealing with difficulties.

Vice. Meaning writing gives you grief but you can’t stop doing it.

Me? Back in my submissive days (when I was sending out chunks of writing to the Gatekeepers), there were times when I regarded it as a grief-producing vice. Now I tend to think of writing as my avocation. With a touch of obsession. And now that I’m approaching retirement, I’m almost OK with the possibility that it might be a hobby. Well, maybe a bit more than that. Call it a Creative Outlet.

Then there’s what writers call themselves. Professional? Dilettante? Hobbyist? How about indie author? I think that term covers most of us, and can be modified by any adjective as needed.