Are You a Writer?

Last month I attended a writing conference and found myself in a conversation with a lady who works for a literary review journal. 

"So are you a writer?" she asked.

I laughed.  "That's like asking if I'm a golfer.  I own clubs and love to play, but I don't consider myself a golfer." 

Same applies to writing, at least for me. Writers are people who do this thing daily, have a voice in the literary world, and maybe make some money in the process.  They weave intricate stories with complex, compelling characters.  Their novels are impossible to put down.  Classifying myself in the same category just seems wrong.

At the same time, however, I consider myself a beekeeper because I own and work hives, yet I don't make a living off the honey.  It's a hobby (correction: a backyard science!), but I proudly display the small certificate for completing the local club's beekeeping course. When people ask, "Are you a beekeeper?", I answer with an emphatic, "Yes!"

So that got me thinking: what is the definition of a writer?  Do you have to earn a living, or at least have something published, in order to wear the title?  Or is simply the love/passion for writing enough to allow the average would-be-author to proudly call themselves "A Writer"? 

What say you?  Are you a writer?