4 ms·

I think the appropriate umbrella term for Neil Gaiman specifically would just be "writer" or "author" considering that makes up the bulk of his work. Calling h

I think the appropriate umbrella term for Neil Gaiman specifically would just be "writer" or "author" considering that makes up the bulk of his work. Calling him a "content creator" would communicate none of those things, he could be sculptor, juggler and flautist for all I know. (As an aside - the distinction between "graphic novels" and "comic books" is another pet peeve of mine - if a term can be summed up as "like this other thing, but but for grown ups", then maybe the "other thing" should just be respected by everybody instead of trying to reverse no true Scotsman the perceived good bits into another category)

msla 4y ago
> I think the appropriate umbrella term for Neil Gaiman specifically would just be "writer" or "author" considering that makes up the bulk of his work. > Calling him a "content creator" would communicate none of those things, he could be sculptor, juggler and flautist for all I know. And some people are that madly multimedia, albeit none I can think of off the top of my head. > (As an aside - the distinction between "graphic novels" and "comic books" is another pet peeve of mine - if a term can be summed up as "like this other thing, but but for grown ups", then maybe the "other thing" should just be respected by everybody instead of trying to reverse no true Scotsman the perceived good bits into another category) I've certainly seen "graphic novel" used that way, but I prefer to use it to refer to works with defined end-points, as opposed to open-ended series; you can certainly talk about Neil's run on Miracleman as a distinct entity, but Miracleman itself is ongoing with no defined endpoint, unlike, say, Sandman or, to use another author, Watchmen. Of course, reality intrudes and decrees that both of those will get sequels, and might yet continue to get sequels, but I still think the distinction is useful enough. For one thing, in a graphic novel, the main character can get killed off for real because the property doesn't have to continue for another half-century or longer.
988747 4y ago
Yes, calling Gaiman "a writer" makes sense, since, even in the art forms that involve some graphical side (comic books, TV) his role usually revolves around WRITING the story. Someone else draws the comics, someone else films the TV shows. Gaiman's main skill is writing stories, not drawing, or acting, or directing.

msla 4y ago

> I think the appropriate umbrella term for Neil Gaiman specifically would just be "writer" or "author" considering that makes up the bulk of his work. > Calling him a "content creator" would communicate none of those things, he could be sculptor, juggler and flautist for all I know. And some people are that madly multimedia, albeit none I can think of off the top of my head. > (As an aside - the distinction between "graphic novels" and "comic books" is another pet peeve of mine - if a term can be summed up as "like this other thing, but but for grown ups", then maybe the "other thing" should just be respected by everybody instead of trying to reverse no true Scotsman the perceived good bits into another category) I've certainly seen "graphic novel" used that way, but I prefer to use it to refer to works with defined end-points, as opposed to open-ended series; you can certainly talk about Neil's run on Miracleman as a distinct entity, but Miracleman itself is ongoing with no defined endpoint, unlike, say, Sandman or, to use another author, Watchmen. Of course, reality intrudes and decrees that both of those will get sequels, and might yet continue to get sequels, but I still think the distinction is useful enough. For one thing, in a graphic novel, the main character can get killed off for real because the property doesn't have to continue for another half-century or longer.

988747 4y ago

Yes, calling Gaiman "a writer" makes sense, since, even in the art forms that involve some graphical side (comic books, TV) his role usually revolves around WRITING the story. Someone else draws the comics, someone else films the TV shows. Gaiman's main skill is writing stories, not drawing, or acting, or directing.