"author" vs. "writer"

Beth Kephart started me thinking. 

Turned out to be something deeper than I thought. I've used both words to describe myself. When writer/author friends started questioning whether they should use one or the other, I thought 'Oh settle down -- you wrote a book right? You're both.'  

But last month -- in the midst of my Julia Cameron Walking in this World journey (yes, in the midst of morning pages) -- I saw that absolutely I want to be "a writer." I don't want to be "an author." Well, I think of an author as someone who has written and published a book, and yes, I DO want that. Believe me, the fact that I have published encourages me enormously. It makes me think I maybe could do it again.

But I want to live as a writer -- meaning I want to be someone who writes. I want to be the person you go to when you need some words written. It means I spend my time writing. What does an author do? Be "authorial?" Is that even a word? People, I don't want a title -- I want to write.  

Additionally, doesn't being "an author" mean you HAVE published? Past tense? Passive voice? That's got to be every writers nightmare. I want to be alive and kicking, thank you very much.  

As for a description of what I do, I'm not looking for anything fancy. Something that describes the work would do it. Chagall said he worked like a cobbler. Good gravy, if that's good enough for him, it's good enough for me.

How would I like for readers to respond to me? This is what comes to mind: I've decided I want to be the tinker that comes down the road with my verbs, nouns, prepositions clanking against the sides of the cart. Hearing me, maybe you'll take off your apron, come out onto the road and say, "What have you got for me today?"