Discussion: Writers vs. Storytellers!

[kitty_fic]

If you're a writer: New ideas send you scurrying to your keyboard because you see things in words- you get a kick out of language, and enjoy crafting a pretty sentence. You like building worlds, but sometimes you get lost in them, and sometimes you find yourself getting stuck in the same world over and over. Because it's just SO MUCH FUN IN THERE!!1!11!!!! Maybe you like your themes, your settings, your plot, but you really get all googly over mood and language. Wordywordywords...

If you're a storyteller: You like images, love plots, and the central idea is what drives you onward. ONWARD! MUSH! *koff* Sorry about that. Once you get started you write quickly and with focus, and enjoy the writing of the story. You've always got a new story idea (or three, or four, or...) and new characters and worlds are constantly popping into your head. You love your characters, settings are okay, conflict is your jam, and POV is fun to play with.

The important thing, above all, is to use your strengths. Central themes not your thing? Use character descriptions to drive the plot forward or set a mood, or describe a setting. Use language instead of characters to create conflict. It's been said that the world respects a writer and adores a storyteller. I know many good storytellers who make people laugh with ease, but I also know gifted writers who move folks with their words. I'm an introvert who loves writing, my sister's an extrovert who loves telling stories. Both are good, appreciate what you have!

Of course, you can be a little bit of both. Just like Gryffindors can be a bit cowardly, and Ravenclaws can be a bit flighty, A lot of writers we like lean heavily to one side or another, with undertones of each.

Examples:
Joss Whedon? WRITER: All about the quips, and he can move mountains with a few lines of dialog, and he built this magnificent world. BUT he's also got about ten characters waiting in the wings and a dozen worlds brewing.
George Lucas? STORYTELLER! He's got characters and this big ol' plot. BUT the writer in him created a world beyond the stars that he (and we) got lost in for decades.
J.K. Rowling? WRITER: All about the words, the descriptions, the settings, all so carefully planned out. BUT she also wrote a great central idea: Harry growing up into himself.
Stephenie Meyer? STORYTELLER! Her characters are the thing- Sparkly vampires? Damsels in distress? Check and check. BUT dang did she get lost her own little world of Forks!
Stephen King? Well, everyone's got an opinion there, but I say WRITER.

So how about you? Take a whack at the following questions:

<b>1.) What elements of fiction are the most challenging for you?</b> <b>2.) What do you think you do best?</b> <b>3.)What do you think you need the most help with?</b>

BONUS: Who's your favorite storyteller/writer and why do you like them?


(Originally posted by lillbet in pulped_fictions - crossposted with permission)