Writing- Writer? Author? What's the Difference?

Okay, so it's been a while since I blogged. I've been very busy this past week. Anyways! Today is Saturday so that means I get to give you lovely writing advice. 

This has nothing to do with the tpoc but it does have something to do with writing. I was asked a while ago what exactly is a writer. According to Dictionary.com, a writer is:

 1) a person engaged in writing  books, articles, stories, etc.,especially as an occupation or profession; an author or journalist. 

2) a scribe.

3) a person who commits his or her thoughts, ideas, etc., to writing.

So according to number three, anyone who writes anything is a writer. But according to number one, a writer is someone who writes as a profession/occupation or because they like to write. Well then, what do you think a "writer" is? 

The statement at the bottom of number one bring another part of this to mind. Is there a difference between an author and a writer? 

A conversation between my friend and I went like this:

 she asked, "Wait, i thought you were an author?"
I replied, "Well I'm not published yet, so I'm a writer."
And another friend asked, "Well aren't they the same thing?"
Another of my friends said, "Well, I write essays for school all the time, so that must mean I'm a writer." 

So then we got into this discussion about what the difference between a writer and an author. According once again to dictionary.com an author is

 a person who writes a novel, poem, essay, etc.; the composer of a literary work, as distinguished from a compiler, translator, editor, or copyist. 

Well in my opinion, an author is someone who makes a living off of writing while a writer who writes for the fun of it without getting money for it. I went online to my writing site and asked around and most people agreed. One of the people on the site says that "author" is more of a title. 

So then, do you think there is a difference between an author and a writer? Or could they be interchangeable? 

Sincerely, 

Peony