writers, Writers, authors, and Authors . . . oh my

Natasha recently posted in her blog, "The Frazzled Ant", an entry questioning the definition of writer and her own feelings about herself as one.  She said, "I just think of myself as a person who participates in the act of writing", and suggested that a writer perhaps has to be published to gain the title of writer, just as her professor said a painter, sculptor, or photographer must have their work curated and exhibited before they can be called an artist. I understand this notion, especially when questioning or deciding if you, yourself can be called a writer (at least when the you = me) but this idea strikes me as very capitalist and anti-artistic.  I was once in a class all about the Author; in that class we discussed the difference between writers, Writers, authors, and Authors.  I don't remember if we ever came up with clear definitions.  I'm not sure that there can be any, but I do recall that the difference between the author and Author that was most commonly referred to was quality.  The Authors wrote works of literary significance, whereas the author wrote low quality popular fiction -- a very prominent author referred to in this class was Stephenie Meyer.  I don't think we discussed the writer as much as author, but if there is a need to differentiate between (which I am some times pretentious enough to think that there is) I like the idea that a writer is someone who writes, but is unpublished, an author is a published writer, and the capitalization distinguishes between the quality of there work.  Obviously this last aspect is completely subjective, but I think that with such any abstract idea, subjectivity is necessary.  At the same time, I really like Natasha's quote.  I know she meant it to be modest, but I don't think that being "a person who participates in the act of writing" is less important than being a writer, in fact I like the idea that although there are social and monetary differences between writers and authors, and even people who write, but don't consider themselves either, they are all connected by the act of writing -- and the need, desire, and ability to write.