reteller

Reteller is a term used to describe a person who recounts a story that is not originally their own. In its broad sense, a reteller may be an oral storyteller who passes along tales within a community, sometimes adding personal emphasis, pacing, or performance elements that reflect the audience or setting.

In modern usage, reteller often refers to writers or performers who create a retelling of an existing work—such as a fairy tale, myth, or classic novel—reframing it for a new audience or perspective. Retellings may preserve core plot elements while changing setting, point of view, tone, or themes. They can reinterpret characters, motives, or social contexts to highlight different ideas or to address contemporary concerns.

In folklore and literary studies, retelling is distinguished from original storytelling in that the source material is acknowledged as the basis for the retelling, though the degree of transformation can vary from faithful or "loosening" adaptations to radical reimaginings. Retellings are common across genres, including fantasy, historical fiction, and young adult literature, as well as in film, theater, and graphic novels.

Reception of retellings ranges from praise for creative reinvention to criticism that they recycle familiar plots. Proponents argue that retellings keep traditional stories alive and reveal new meanings, while critics warn against diminishing originality. In practice, a reteller adapts a preexisting narrative to fit new audiences, purposes, and cultural moments.