Writer phones — biographer rings back (5)
I believe the answer is:
ibsen
'writer' is the definition.
(dramatist Henrik Ibsen)
'phones biographer rings back' is the wordplay.
'rings' indicates a hidden word (in the sense of encircling/enclosing).
'back' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'nesbi' can be found hidden inside 'phones biographer'.
'nesbi' backwards is 'IBSEN'.
(Other definitions for ibsen that I've seen before include "Is Ben a playwright?" , "Scandinavian playwright" , "Playmaker" , "Linesman" , "See 7 Down" .)