Good Writing Vs. Good Storytelling

The experience of reading a couple of works recently in different genres has me pondering about the difference between "good writing" vs. "good storytelling."

These terms can be interchangeable, but they can also refer to two very different things.

I've never read Fifty Shades of Grey, but the S&M romance has obviously caused a sensation in the publishing world, made a literary superstar out of author E.L. James and is soon to be released as a movie. But despite its undeniable commercial appeal, some critics charge that the Fifty Shades trilogy is an example of poorly-crafted writing that is churned out solely for entertainment (and/or monetary) value.

In contrast, Stephen King has enjoyed phenomenal commercial success as a best-selling author for more than 40 years, but he's also received critical praise for his sound writing skills. He knows "the rules," such as not writing in passive voice ("He closed the door" vs. "The door was closed by him").

In fact, King is so well-known for his good writing that he wrote a book on the topic, On Writing, which many writers use as a style bible.

I've read stories that aren't well-written from a technical standpoint - bad grammar, commas and question marks in the wrong places or missing altogether, paragraphs not structured properly, there are no quotation marks around quotes, etc. But the crux of the story is on the page and holds my attention.

So if a story breaks all the so-called writing "rules," but keeps the reader turning the page, can it be considered good writing? Or maybe it's just good storytelling in need of a patient editor?

Ultimately, the reader is the judge.