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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/45978
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

# Don't Write, Tell Stories.

Stories began as an oral tradition. There are story telling competitions every year and some of those people never write down a thing. Look up stuff like oral tradition and you'll find your way down the rabbit hole.

Now, technically, you can and sometimes still should write in this space, but lots of the greats never did and never will. Record yourself. The medium of oral story telling is performance, but also taps a lot of the things we talk about here when we talk about how to write a good story.

I don't think you can get out of reading entirely if you're hoping to write; but a lot of story tellers have notes or just work on their set and don't sweat writing long drafts of whatever. Whether its comedy or tall tails: there's a space out there. Maybe you won't be a famous author, but you can still do what you love and if you get good enough at your craft you may reach a point where you can write down the thing you have memorized or work with someone who knows how.

# If you're not going to read, you probably can't write at a professional level.

But, that doesn't mean you can't tell stories, amazing and enjoyable ones, at a professional level.

# You have to ingest what you want to put out.

If you're going to tell stories, you must listen. If you're going to write stories, you must read. Quality revision in either case requires you to examine what you are doing. Therefor, you can't revise what you write without reading it. You must at least read what you are are writing. Same goes for telling, but in that case you need to examine what it is you are saying and how you are saying it. And paying attention to others in your field only makes you better at what you're doing.

Original score: 14