At what point in writing a book is a person an author?

answers1: I think a person is an author when they finish the book. it
doesnt matter if they get it published or not, if they took the time
and effort to write a book then i think that they are an author.
answers2: I would say that you're an author only after you've been
published. Until then you can say you're an aspiring author, or a
writer. "Author" has the same root as the word "authority"; you have
to have some recognition by others before you can claim authorship.
answers3: Google defines it as: writer: writes (books or stories or
articles or the like) professionally (for pay) The originator or
creator of a work, especially a literary composition; a writer; Source
of information; To create a work by its author <br>
the person who created the content of a book, article, or other source. <br>
the writer of a book, article or other text <br>
<br>
Personally I think if you write continuously you are an author, even
if nothing gets published.
answers4: You have to be published.
answers5: Conventionally, you are a writer until you are published in
a reputable publication (does not include self-publishing). After
that, you are an author. <br>
<br>
I did not call myself an author until I had a book under contract even
though I was published for ten years before that in magazines.
answers6: Author is the term used to describe the writer of a specific
work. For example, Kathryn W is the author of this post. I would not
use the terms unpublished author or aspiring author at all - I would
be more like to say unpublished writer or aspiring writer. I would
only ever describe a writer as an author when commenting on a specific
work e.g Charles Dickens is the author of Great Expectations.
answers7: I'd say that a person is an author when their first book is published
answers8: Technically you are an author as soon as you have written
something. But it's generally considered rather pretentious to call
yourself an author unless you have been published and somebody paid
you for it. We already have a perfectly good term for people who write
- it's "writer" - so there's absolutely no need for all this
"unpublished" and "aspiring" nonsense. Be honest about where you are
with your writing, and you'll get far more respect. <br>
<br>
(This is the generic "you", not you in particular)
answers9: The minute that person puts words on a page; I'm the
"author" of this post. Author, as opposed to "writer" generally
refers to a specific work: the author of a book, for example. I'm a
writer, and the author of an unfinished sci-fi novel. <br>
<br>
The problem is that the word is ambiguous: anyone can write (mostly),
therefore anyone can "author". It's similar to singing: anyone can
sing, but how many people would you pay to listen to. <br>
<br>
If this question refers to you, then by all means, call yourself an
author. The important part is living up to the name. <br>
<br>
From Dictionary.com: <br>
<br>
au⋅thor  /ˈɔθər/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [aw-ther] Show IPA <br>
–noun 1. a person who writes a novel, poem, essay, etc.; the composer
of a literary work, as distinguished from a compiler, translator,
editor, or copyist. <br>
2. the literary production or productions of a writer: to find a
passage in an author. <br>
3. the maker of anything; creator; originator: the author of a new tax
plan. <br>
4. Computers. the writer of a software program, esp. a hypertext or
multimedia application. <br>
<br>
–verb (used with object) 5. to write; be the author of: He authored a
history of the Civil War. <br>
6. to originate; create a design for: She authored a new system for
teaching chemistry. <br>
<br>
<br>
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answers10: I consider an author someone who has published a book. <br>
Everyone else is a writer.