Quote:
Originally Posted by Moejoe
The definition of 'professional' is only meaningful in a system where that label is attached by an outside entity, by the gatekeepers. Once the public becomes the gatekeeper, they'll sort what is 'professional' from what isn't professional. A true democracy of choice, not a limited and sanctioned choice of what 'they' give us. I stand by my earlier statements of creators creating just because they 'have to'.
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I propose the following definition of 'professional' writer: Someone who makes enough money from their writing that they need not pursue an additional source of income.
Note that this definition certainly does not depend on gatekeepers! Nor does it assume that the writer necessarily makes their entire living by writing -- only that they don't need to do something else to keep a roof over their head. Taking the SFWA (Science fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) as an example, my definition would say that only 5-10% of the members are 'professional.'
Xenophon