作家

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 作家, read さっか, refers to a creator of works.
• Basic usage: In both examples, it means an author who writes books.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Geminate consonant
  • The reading さっか contains a small っ, a one-beat closure before the following consonant.
• A clause describing the author
  • In the example, 子どもの本を書く作家 means an author who writes children's books.
  • The preceding clause ending in 書く modifies the noun and describes the author.