man of letters; literary man; writer
Refers to a person engaged in literary pursuits, often with a somewhat classical or refined connotation. In modern usage, it can sound slightly formal or old-fashioned compared to 作家 or 小説家.
He is known as one of the leading literary figures of our time.
That man of letters left behind many essays.
the literary set; literary circles
hack writer; pulp writer; scribbler
Compound of 文 (ぶん, 'writing, literature') and 士 (し, 'gentleman, scholar'). The term has been used since the Meiji era to denote literary figures.