Author vs. Narrator: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Published on January 29, 2024
The author is the creator of a literary work, while the narrator is the character who tells the story within the work.
Key Differences
An author is the individual who writes and creates a literary piece, such as a novel, poem, or essay. The narrator, on the other hand, is a character within the literary work who tells the story, guiding the reader through the plot.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
The author's role is to construct the narrative, develop characters, and establish the setting. The narrator's role is to present the story to the reader, which may or may not reflect the author's own perspective or voice.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
Authors can express their personal experiences, ideas, or beliefs through their writing. Narrators, however, are often fictional constructs and their perspectives and experiences are part of the narrative created by the author.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
While the author is a real person who pens the text, the narrator is a part of the story's fictional world. This distinction is crucial in understanding the separation between the creator and the creation.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
In some literary works, the author might choose to be the narrator, but this is a literary device. Normally, the narrator is separate from the author and serves as a voice within the story.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
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Comparison Chart
Identity
Real individual who writes the story.
Fictional character who tells the story.
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Jan 29, 2024
Role
Creates and constructs the literary work.
Presents and guides through the narrative.
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Jan 29, 2024
Perspective
Personal or objective, external to the story.
Integral to the story, may vary in reliability.
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Jan 29, 2024
Function
Develops plot, characters, and setting.
Voices the narrative, offers point of view.
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Author and Narrator Definitions
Author
Composer of a written piece
The author addressed contemporary issues in her essays.
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Jan 03, 2024
Narrator
Storyteller within a book
The narrator in the novel is a young detective.
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Jan 03, 2024
Author
Creator of literary work
The author J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series.
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Narrator
Voice telling the story
The narrator's perspective shapes the reader's understanding.
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Jan 03, 2024
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Narrator
Guide through the narrative
The narrator led us through a series of intriguing events.
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Jan 03, 2024
Narrator
Speaker in a literary work
Through the narrator, we experience the protagonist's thoughts.
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Jan 03, 2024
Author
Individual who writes professionally
He is a renowned author of non-fiction.
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Jan 03, 2024
Narrator
A person who narrates, such as one who provides off-screen commentary in a documentary.
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Jan 02, 2024
Narrator
A character in literature, especially a novel or short story, who relates the plot and sometimes plays a role in the story.
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Jan 02, 2024
Narrator
A character in a fictional movie, play, or similar production who comments on what is happening, often through voice-over.
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Jan 02, 2024
Author
One who writes or constructs an electronic document or system, such as a website.
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Jan 02, 2024
Narrator
(narratology) The person or the "voice" whose viewpoint is used in telling a story.
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Jan 02, 2024
Narrator
One who narrates; one who relates a series of events or transactions.
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Jan 02, 2024
Author
To write or construct (an electronic document or system)
Authored the company's website.
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Jan 02, 2024
Author
The originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition.
The copyright of any original writing belongs initially and properly to its author.
Have you read any Corinthian authors?
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Jan 02, 2024
Narrator
Character who recounts the plot
The story's narrator is unreliable.
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Jan 03, 2024
Author
The beginner, former, or first mover of anything; hence, the efficient cause of a thing; a creator; an originator.
Eternal King; thee, Author of all being.
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Jan 02, 2024
Author
One who composes or writes a book; a composer, as distinguished from an editor, translator, or compiler.
The chief glory of every people arises from its authors.
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Jan 02, 2024
Author
Writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
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Jan 02, 2024
Author
Someone who originates or causes or initiates something;
He was the generator of several complaints
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Jan 02, 2024
Repeatedly Asked Queries
What is a narrator?
A narrator is the character who tells the story within a literary piece.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
Do authors write in their own voice?
Authors may or may not use their own voice; it varies by work.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
Can an author be a narrator?
Yes, but it's a literary technique where the author assumes a narrative voice.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
Who is an author?
An author is the person who writes and creates a literary work.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
Is the narrator always the main character?
Not necessarily; the narrator can be any character in the story.
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Jan 29, 2024
Do authors interact with readers?
Not directly in the text; their interaction is through the story.
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Jan 29, 2024
How does an author create a story?
Through imagination, experiences, and crafting characters and plots.
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Jan 29, 2024
What's the role of a narrator?
To guide the reader through the story and provide a perspective.
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Jan 29, 2024
What influences an author's writing?
Personal experiences, culture, research, and imagination.
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Can authors write in different genres?
Yes, many authors explore a variety of literary genres.
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Jan 29, 2024
Do authors always reflect their own views in writing?
Not necessarily; they often write from different perspectives.
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Jan 29, 2024
Are all narrators fictional?
In fictional works, yes, but in autobiographies, the author is the narrator.
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Jan 29, 2024
Are narrators reliable?
It depends on how the author constructs them; they can be reliable or unreliable.
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Jan 29, 2024
Is the narrator's voice the same as the author's?
Not always; the narrator is often a distinct voice crafted by the author.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
Can a narrator's perspective change?
Yes, depending on how the author writes the character.
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Jan 29, 2024
Is it important to distinguish between author and narrator?
Yes, understanding this distinction is key to literary analysis.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
Can a story have multiple narrators?
Yes, some stories are told from multiple points of view.
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Jan 29, 2024
How do authors develop characters?
Through descriptive writing, dialogue, and narrative development.
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Jan 29, 2024
How does a narrator affect a story?
The narrator's perspective can shape the reader's understanding and engagement.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 29, 2024
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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