op, I like this ramble because i personally think about this a lot. i think over time, i eventually separated what i consider "writing" vs what i consider "storytelling"
i see good storytelling as something that transcends the quality of one's writing. it's painful to realize this (or at least it was for me for a time) but it doesn't matter how well constructed or complex one's writing is if readers have a hard time connecting with the motivation behind the characters or the route that the narrative takes. once i realized that, i stopped focusing so much on popular writing conventions and what was collectively considered Good Writing and instead focused on how i could take really personal, human experiences, hype up the suspense on these experiences and propel them forward through (what i hope are) memorable characters.
