Author's work journal reviewed (5)
I believe the answer is:
gogol
'author's' is the definition.
(author Nikolai Gogol)
'work journal reviewed' is the wordplay.
'work' becomes 'go' (synonyms).
'journal' becomes 'log' (log can mean a journal or diary).
'reviewed' says the letters should be written backwards.
'log' written backwards gives 'gol'.
'go'+'gol'='GOGOL'
(Other definitions for gogol that I've seen before include "Nikolai -, Russian author (Dead Souls)" , "Dead Souls Russ. author" , "Nikolai ---, Gov't Inspector author" , "Russian writer" , "The Government Inspector author" .)