Are You a Children’s Writer or Children’s Author? Paul Russell Weighs In

Paul Russell is the author of several titles through EK Books, including the internationally lauded Grandma Forgets, a heart-warming story of a family bound by love as they cope with their grandma’s dementia. It is a Children’s Book Council of Australia Noteable, and is recommended by the Australian Association of Family Therapy Award for Children’s Literature.

The difference between calling myself an author and calling myself a writer is most likely just semantics but to me it makes all the difference.

I have really struggled over the years with the term “author,” and it is a term I will very rarely use to describe myself. I think it first began because my first ever books were self-published and although I was incredibly proud of the book, I felt in my heart-of-hearts that I had sort of cheated. I’d found a way to get past the gate keepers of the literary world and sort of snuck around the back.

In my mind authors were people like Graham Base and Mem Fox or Paul Jennings and Ted Prior. I was just a writer.

By this time, I’d already written plays for children that had been performed all over the world, won several awards for my writing but I still I didn’t feel I could call myself an author that put me in the same league as these guys and I was barely on the same planet.

Since my self-publishing days (that allow me to enter the industry), I’ve written five traditionally published picture books and have three novels coming out next year. I have won national awards but still the title of author is something I struggle with.

I went to University and studied for years to become a teacher and at the end they gave me a piece of paper declaring me qualified and after that I happily called myself a teacher. But, there is something about creative pursuits. When I got an art degree, I didn’t declare myself an artist.

Ever since I was old enough to talk, I told stories. Before I could form letters, I scribbled picture that were my books. For as long as I can remember when I am happiest or most depressed, or anything in between, I would write. But, for some reason I still hold the title of author with such esteem, that I struggle to use it.

I’ve met unpublished writers who already call themselves authors and I never argue. Surely, anyone who writes an original piece, is the author of that piece but deep down, in my heart,

that title will always be held for those magical people who exist not in flesh but on the cover of great books.