A Person Who Writes Books is an Author of Nonfiction or Fiction

A person who writes books, in its simplest form, is an author; however, if you write a grocery list, you are the author of it. Generally speaking though, when you think of an author, you think of someone who has written a book.

When you think of a person who writes books, you may recall your favorite author(s). Nonfiction books fall into the categories of how-to and self-help.

If you are into self-help books, for instance, dealing with finances, you may have read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. You may have also read The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley. One of my favorites is The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason.

A person who writes books can write nonfiction and/or fiction. Here are some nonfiction genres:

• Art
• Autobiography
• Biography
• Business
• Cooking
• Gardening
• Health/fitness
• History
• Language
• Philosophy
• Recreation/leisure
• Science
• Theology
• Travel
• True crime

Kiyosaki, Stanley, and Clason wrote nonfiction books. But authors can also be novelists. A novelist writes novels.

A Person Who Writes Books of Fiction is a Novelist

Novelists create themes, plots, characters, dialogue, and so forth—although part of their book may or may not be based on fact. Here is a picture of Mark Twain.

When you think of an author who writes horror, you might think of Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Mary Shelley, or other such authors or novelists.

Novelists can pen their works in many genres besides horror. Other genres include:

• Action/Adventure
• Comedy
• Children’s
• Coming of age
• Crime
• Drama
• Fairytale
• Fantasy
• Fish-out-of-water
• Graphic novel
• Historical fiction
• Mystery
• Thrillers
• Traveling angel
• Romance
• Science fiction
• Suspense
• Western

A Person Who Writes Books Can Also be a Playwright or a Screenwriter

A playwright writes plays. Many people enjoy watching actors performing on stage. You may have even been in a school play. The person who writes books, which are plays, is an author.

A screenwriter writes material (screenplays) to be used to make movies. Many people love nothing more than to watch movies on the big screen or on their televisions or other devices. Some plays and screenplays are based on books. If they are, and if the book is fiction, then the author is a novelist.

For instance, take a look at the fiction novel Jurassic Park. The author, Michael Crichton, is a novelist. The book was made into a screenplay, and subsequently, it became a blockbuster movie.

Jurassic Park is a combination of genres. It’s an action/adventure, science fiction, and fantasy story. The story is about scientists visiting a safari amusement park of cloned dinosaurs on a remote jungle island near Costa Rica. The power grid goes down. T. rex escapes and hunts the scientists.

This fish-out-of-water story is a "popular genre because it creates so much potential for conflict and fun. A character is abruptly taken out of her element and forced to adjust to a new environment” (Trottier p. 47).

Jurassic Park is a fish-out-of-water-story because the main characters are modern day people who are thrust into a tropical jungle environment teeming with awe and heart-wrenching danger. Soon, they come eyeball to eyeball with a menacing T. rex whose goal is to make a meal of them.

A Person Who Writes Books Can be a Poet

At some point, you’ve probably held a book of poems in your hand. Right there on the cover, is the name of the person who wrote it. This person is an author.

You may have written a page or two of poetry yourself. If so, you are the author of those pages. You do not need to have written a book of poems to be called an author, but you might want to. Many lovers of poetry enjoy the freestyle that much of this genre has to offer. Its rules are much more relaxed than many other genres, such as academic writing. This is because imagination is encouraged in poetry and can reach lofty heights.

However, it may be easier to start writing a book of poetry if your goal is to become an author with a book in hand.

Who then is a person who writes books? It is an author who writes nonfiction and/or fiction.

A person who writes books is one who is busy writing!!!