defining a writer?

They should write a lot. Hence 'prolific'. But then, prolific isn't always the same as 'good', or 'talented'.

1. Write. A lot. If you think you're a writer, or want to be a writer, you have to love to write. That may seem extremely obvious, but it's quite sad how many people there are that call themselves writers but don't like sitting down and actually doing it. Most of them are simply creative. They have ideas of what they want to write, but they can't get it on paper. Those of us who actually do write could use some of their ideas and inspiration. :) 2. Read. A lot. You can't know how to write simply by writing, because all you'll do is write badly. If you read what other people have written, and learn to recognize good writing when you see it, you can imitate what they do. A little later, after you've imitated for a while, you can come up with your own style. Either way, you have to love reading to be a good writer. If you don't, you'll find it hard to read over what you've written yourself. :) 3. Know the language you're writing in. Yes, we all know our native language fairly well (English for many of us), but how well do we know it? Do we know all of the rules? Do we know which ones must absolutely be followed, and which can be bent sometimes? Do we know how to use proper punctuation? Do we know how to properly conjugate all those verbs, and use the right pronoun and verb tense? It's all important! Know it! 4. Think and be open-minded. This is most important, really. Be smart. Use your head. Share your thoughts. Be nice to others in your writing when sharing opposing opinions. Know the subject matter you're writing about, and don't just think you know it. Be open to criticism (for many writers, that's the hardest thing). Most of all, don't give up! Keep writing!