Storytelling: speaking vs. writing

Bubastes · Oct 12, 2006

Are any of you better at written storytelling than verbal storytelling (or vice versa)? I can't tell a story verbally to save my life (yeah, I'm the quiet one at the party listening to everyone else's stories), and now I'm worried that maybe my written stories stink too. OTOH, I suppose written storytelling and verbal storytelling each require different skills. What do you think?

DeadlyAccurate · Oct 12, 2006

I can't tell stories verbally very well either. I'm just not a good speaker in general.

Shadow_Ferret · Oct 12, 2006

Are you kidding? I have trouble just talking, let alone trying to tell a story. I admire people who can verbalize their thoughts in a cohesive and understandable manner.

Bufty · Oct 12, 2006

The skills are very different. With storytelling you have eye-contact, personality, facial and body language, and all the flexibility of the spoken voice.

In writing, a different set of tools have to be used to compensate for the loss of these audio-visual ones.

CaroGirl · Oct 12, 2006

I feel exactly the same way. I'm introverted and social phobic (although, with very close friends, and a lot of wine, I've been know to tell a ripping yarn or two).

There must be a support group. If not, let's start one.

Nakhlasmoke · Oct 12, 2006

Oh lordy.

When someone asks a reasonable question like "what is your book about?" I collapse into a hyperventilating wreck - the best you'll get out of me are some ums and ers, and "and then, well, okays it sounds a bit weird, but actually, she dies, um, she's not really dead, oh wait, but you don't know that, and of course, none of the other characters know. in fact, I'm probably going to rewrite it anyway, um, I think."

So.

No, I am not a verbal storyteller. I don't think my written work sucks completely though.

Bubastes · Oct 12, 2006

Nakhlasmoke said:
Oh lordy.

When someone asks a reasonable question like "what is your book about?" I collapse into a hyperventilating wreck - the best you'll get out of me are some ums and ers, and "and then, well, okays it sounds a bit weird, but actually, she dies, um, she's not really dead, oh wait, but you don't know that, and of course, none of the other characters know. in fact, I'm probably going to rewrite it anyway, um, I think."

Yep, that's me too. My standard response is now "I don't like talking about my writing projects because I'm afraid of jinxing them." I do believe that, by the way.

LeeFlower · Oct 12, 2006

I tell stories out loud at parties, but that's very different than writing stories. My 'party' stories are usually funny anecdotes, traditional folk-tales, or stories in the style of traditional folk-tales.

I can't dictate my written stories to save my life. They're very different kinds of storytelling. One calls for good prose while the other requires good acting.

SpookyWriter · Oct 12, 2006

I think I'm a fairly good verbal story teller and a so-so writer. When my kids were growing up and we went camping with relatives (big family, friends gatherings up north), they'd all wait patiently every evening by the camp fire for me to tell another tale.

I am always making up stories on the fly. Public speaking doesn't bother me either because I've had to do so much of it over the past twenty or so years.

But when it comes to talking about my projects, I really don't. Once in a while I might mention an interesting part of a story to a close friend but that is rarely the case anymore.

The last time I talk about a short story before it was completed I had convinced myself that the story line (as told) would work. Unfortunately the revised story sucked big time. So I put the story away for a while and tried to rewrite it again, with limited success.

I guess it's true that the story was jinxed by my telling it before getting it down on paper.

Southern_girl29 · Oct 12, 2006

I'm an awful storyteller. My daughter thinks I'm good one, so I guess that's all that matters. But, I am also one of those people who hates to try to answer the question about what my work is about. I know my writing is better than my storytelling skills.

MidnightMuse · Oct 12, 2006

I have no trouble telling stories verbally, I do it all the time. But I don't tell my written stories. No problems talking to strangers or standing up in front of a group or on a stage. I took Debate, Acting and Speech classes in HS (many a moon ago) and that cured any and all stage fright I might have had.

Still, while I can sit down and humor you with a tale from my days in the veterinary profession, I can't sit down and read to you from my WIP with the same ease.

RG570 · Oct 12, 2006

I cannot verbalize a story, nor make one up on the spot. I have a tough time even reading things out loud. I even have a tough time reading things out loud when I'm alone. I also don't really like listening to self professed "storytellers" all that much. It just doesn't do it for me.

I doubt it has anything to do with writing. I sure hope not, because if it does, I have no chance in hell of ever producing anything remotely readable.

Carrie in PA · Oct 12, 2006

Every time I tell a story, it begins with an officer prompting me: "Where were you the night of..." but I do pretty well after that.

I don't know that I could tell stories off the top of my head, but I love to talk. Anyone, anywhere, anything. I'll talk. Small crowd, big crowd, doesn't matter. But I'm not sure that's really story-telling. More flapping my gums and spouting anecdotes.

LeeFlower · Oct 12, 2006

heh, Carrie, that's funny. All of my stories from highschool end with "and then she kicked me out of class."

.

When does an anecdote become a story, I wonder? I've got a lot of anecdotes that have clear plots--beginnings, middles, and ends. Are they really stories in disguise?

SeanDSchaffer · Oct 12, 2006

MeowGirl said:
Are any of you better at written storytelling than verbal storytelling (or vice versa)? I can't tell a story verbally to save my life (yeah, I'm the quiet one at the party listening to everyone else's stories), and now I'm worried that maybe my written stories stink too. OTOH, I suppose written storytelling and verbal storytelling each require different skills. What do you think?

I can't verbally tell stories worth a darn. That is one of the many reasons I write. With writing, I can tell a story in a decent fashion without stuttering or stammering, or for that matter, without being interrupted by people asking questions about things that are answered further up-story. Distractions have a tendency to make me forget what I am talking about when I am verbally speaking, so the writing really helps me to keep on track.

aadams73 · Oct 12, 2006

I'm not a big talker, although I can be really chatty with friends. And I have to really concentrate and slow myself down when I tell any kind of joke/story/anecdote otherwise my words get all fuddled and I sound like a moron.

blacbird · Oct 12, 2006

I aspire to write stories that feel as though they're being narrated verbally. I've always like reading those kinds of things. Whether I succeed or not isn't for me to judge. So far those who matter have judged negatively.

caw.

TrainofThought · Oct 12, 2006

MeowGirl said:
Are any of you better at written storytelling than verbal storytelling (or vice versa)? I can't tell a story verbally to save my life (yeah, I'm the quiet one at the party listening to everyone else's stories), and now I'm worried that maybe my written stories stink too.

I am better at verbal storytelling because of my animations. Written storytelling is a little more challenging for me, I should say certain parts of storytelling, but practice makes perfect. I hope.

Maryn · Oct 12, 2006

I tend to be quiet and listen when I'm with others, except people I know very well.

I agree that it's two different skill sets with some overlap. Consider how a talented and animated reader can make a manuscript come alive, even though it's not particularly good when you merely read it. (That's why we do not allow reading aloud at critique group.)

I think there's an element of showmanship that helps listeners forgive awkward wording, ignore plot holes, and set aside disbelief. When you're writing the same story, you have to make it tighter, without these flaws, because readers can take all the time they want to think about what you've written.

Maryn, who should be on her rewrite and not here

Saundra Julian · Oct 12, 2006

Having been in sales all my life, I have no problem talking with the public...yeah, I can tell a story, a joke or talk about my book! What do ya want to know?

JBI · Oct 12, 2006

The written story, and the verbalized story are very different. One of the key features you will realize, is that in verbal storytelling, the speaker needs to put a lot more effort into the way he is telling the story, whereas in written storytelling, it is the story itself that needs to be important. The basic conventions of verbal storytelling and written storytelling also are a little bit different, and one who appears to be a good speaker, could quite posibly be an idiot when it comes to writing anything. Whereas a person who is an excelent writer may be a social misfit, and a socially challenged speaker.

DamaNegra · Oct 12, 2006

I've never, ever had a problem talking in public, but I'm perfectly aware that you need very different skills when telling and writing stories, so don't worry about it

ChaosTitan · Oct 12, 2006

I'm a terrible public speaker. I talk too fast and then stutter my words, and I end up sounding like a moron. Even if I have notecards. *sigh*

I'm equally bad at telling stories out loud. I can never remember events in the correct order, constantly have to "rewind" and retell something, and end up messing up the story.

Give me five minutes to write it down first? No problem!

Azure Skye · Oct 12, 2006

Nope, not a verbal storyteller. Heck, I can't even tell a joke properly. My brain just doesn't function that way. Don't feel bad.

CBeasy · Oct 14, 2006

I think I actually prefer verbal story telling. I love public speaking, probably from some kind of attention-needing disorder, and just talking in general. I'd like to think I'm quite good at it. It's like my most impressive talent, it talking is a talent at all. I think that's why I prefer to write editorial type pieces, because its closer to talking then story writing, IMO.

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