American writer, female, Emily Dickinson, for example? (7)
I believe the answer is:
poetess
'emily dickinson for example?' is the definition.
(Emily Dickinson was a poet)
'american writer female' is the wordplay.
'american writer' becomes 'poe' (Edgar Allan Poe).
'female' becomes 'tess' (woman's name).
'poe'+'tess'='POETESS'
(Other definitions for poetess that I've seen before include "Such as Sappho (no longer PC)" , "Emily Dickinson perhaps" , "Lady of verse" , "Sappho, for one" , "See spot (anag)" .)