For others, writing is considered a hobby. The difference between work and recreation is not in the activity itself. The difference is in who benefits from the activity. When you are working, the assumption is that you're being compensated in some fashion for your activity. And that compensation comes from the value that you create for other people.
Work is wealth creation, and it can take many forms.
We used to think of work as pure physical toil. That is an outdated perception. In fact, as machines take over much of the routine, repetitive work, the work of humans must become more creative in nature. It used to be that the majority of society or an enterprise would toil at physical tasks, and only an elite few would be free to think, create and innovate. Now, however, it is incumbent upon just about everyone to be creative and innovative in their work.