Writer, possibly a mere boy! (7)

I believe the answer is:

emerson

'writer' is the definition.
(author Ralph Waldo Emerson)

'possibly a mere boy' is the wordplay.
'possibly' indicates anagramming the letters.
'boy' becomes 'son' (male child).
'mere' with letters rearranged gives 'emer'.
'emer'+'son'='EMERSON'

(Other definitions for emerson that I've seen before include "American poet and philosopher, d. 1882" , "Ralph Waldo --, US essayist" , "Ralph Waldo . . ., 19th century American philosopher and poet" , "American writer, 1803-82" , "Individualist" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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