Sentence:  There is evidence to suggest , in fact , that many <WSD>authors</WSD> of the humorous sketches were prompted to write them - or to make them as indelicate as they are - by way of protesting against the artificial refinements which had come to dominate the polite letters of the South . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)