I thought that was a rather clever blog post title when I first wrote it up, but then I realized, aren’t these really all the same words for the same person?

Well, sort-of. I like to think of these three words as the path that a person who loves to write (Writer) takes to tell a story (Storyteller) and then, if they wish, publish their work (Author).

But yet, that isn’t quite right, either.

They are the all one in the same words and yet they are different.

(And this doesn’t even touch those amazing people out there that hold the title of bibliophile! Readers are a whole different world than writers 🙂 Or are they also one in the same? Hmmm. I should think about that one.)

Here’s how I like to think of these words.

Writer….
All of us, if we went to school and had the chance to get a good education, are writers. We can use language to compose anything from a grocery list to a letter or email to a friend to a full length novel.

Storyteller…
I like to think of this person as the writer who has taken the time to learn what good writing truly means. Someone who has harnessed their words and language ability to tell a story that captivates their listeners. That can paint a whole vivid world and make us feel for the characters.

Author…
This is a special category reserved really for those you have actually had a book published. Someone who has worked at their craft and honed their skills, imagination and will power to get every last word on the page and edits done! With today’s technology though, the person passing you on the street could be a best selling author on Amazon selling exclusively ebooks.
I would call all of us even if we only have a faint dream of seeing our writing in print, as a potential author.

If you are interested in digging deeper into this topic, check out this great blog post:
Are You A Writer Or Storyteller?

What do you think? Are these good definitions or how would you define them? What do you like to call yourself?