In general, a writer is anyone who writes something. An author is someone who creates something new and original. Usually this new work is in written form, such as Lev Tolstoi's novel "Anna Karinina" (like erpm mentioned above) or a work of poetry like Walt Whitman's Song of my Self. However, one could also say that a computer programmer who creates a new program or code is the author of that program or code. A writer is an action that someone does when they write something. For example, one can write a letter, a report, a movie script, or a book. An author is something someone becomes when they create, usually by writing, something that is new and original. For example Leo Tolstoi is the author of "War and Peace" because he wrote it.

In everyday usage, if you are referring to someone who writes his or her own text, then the words "author" and "writer" are basically the same. They are synonyms. "Shakespeare was a writer. Shakespeare was an author." Theses sentences have basically the same meaning. "Author" has an additional meaning: someone who originates a theory, idea, or plan. This can have nothing to do with writing, so the word "writer" would not be a synonym in this case.

An author is not exactly a writer. Leonard of Vinci is La Joconde's Author. An author is someone who writes at first an idea. For example, we could say Ridder Haggard is Tarzan's Author (in fact, it's Edgar Rice Burroughs). But Ridder Haggard wrote "She" the woman and queen of jungle... After, you have Mowgli (The book of Jungle) and finally Tarzan. We can also say "father"... Tolstoi is father of "Anna Karenine"... A writter is only people who writes. Some authors are not very good in their own language but they seem "writter".

A writer is someone who writes something. It can be as short as a note or as long as a novel. EXAMPLE: "Who is the writer of this love letter? I wish he had signed it." An author is the name of the person who wrote something, usually a book. EXAMPLES: 1. "Pick an author from this list and submit a book report by the end of the week. Thank you!" 2. "Who's the author of the book you're looking for?" (My database at the bookstore allows you to search by "author.")

You needn't be a writer to be an author. For instance, the author of a goal is not necessarily a writer and he certainly didn't write that goal!