The word "tell" in "storytelling" is an ambiguous term. Literally, "tell" refers to using the spoken word to relate something, but "tell" can also refer to relating, expressing in any other way, including visually ("a telling glance") or to the general unfolding of reality ("time will tell"). The word can even refer to perception ("I can tell"). The "tell" term is one of synaesthesia, i.e., that which occurs on one sensory level may happen on another, many, or all levels--the latter involving total immersion in the experience.

Today, as the twentieth century comes to a close, the concept and practice of storytelling is undergoing a renaissance. Since the onset of the Literary Era approximately three thousand years ago, storytelling in the West has been relegated to the "childhood ghetto"--now it is escaping that ghetto, as it is becoming ever clearer that story and storytelling are central to human life. During the Literary Era, relating a series of events has in Western culture not generally been thought of as storytelling, but rather as, "telling what happened," "giving information" (that may or may not be accurate), or just "talking": only when the presentation or content has been especially unrealistic, cute or exotic have people recognized narratives as stories. Now, however, it is becoming obvious that be a story true or false, grandiose or mundane, it is still a story.

When talking about new media, and visual story-telling, we are talking about interactive and non-interactive mediums.