tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250095548371624935.post3273256844172643203..comments2023-11-19T05:18:18.363-05:00Comments on Emily White: Do You Have a Soul?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250095548371624935.post-7644832038867503982010-09-29T08:27:38.887-04:002010-09-29T08:27:38.887-04:00Great topic! Soul, huh? I've never thought of ...Great topic! Soul, huh? I've never thought of it like that, but it makes perfect sense. And you're right, some books have it, and others don't--even a lot of those that make the NYT list. Twilight definitely had it for me. Mistwood by Leah Cypess, Fire by Kristin Cashore, Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I hope my work does--I try to make it a little haunting--but I agree. That's subjective, and how can we possibly evaluate our own work? I've critted a couple manuscripts by fellow writers lately that I know have soul and I can't wait to see them in print so I can see how much other people love them too!<br><br>MartinaAdventures in Children's Publishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03358736828122139189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250095548371624935.post-88712575127456366112010-09-29T09:25:26.701-04:002010-09-29T09:25:26.701-04:00And soulless needed a second l!Gah. I'm stop s...And soulless needed a second l!<br><br>Gah. I'm stop spamming your wall now. My apologies :pBrad Jaegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12672047492091058737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250095548371624935.post-17511978181551748432010-09-29T10:01:57.609-04:002010-09-29T10:01:57.609-04:00Excellent post Emily! And you're right! Some b...Excellent post Emily! And you're right! Some books have soul & others just fall flat! <br>My fave book with soul is Sold by Patricia McCormick, that book has so much soul about such a soulless topic, sex slave trafficking. I, like you, hope that I can weave some serious soul in my work because it's so important. And for the record, I love Twilight! Adverbs & all! :)Slushpile Sluthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13639436719051155045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250095548371624935.post-60629269770428717522010-09-29T10:17:55.766-04:002010-09-29T10:17:55.766-04:00i think the thing that makes the soul evident is a...i think the thing that makes the soul evident is a connection you feel with a book. <br>this connection is subjective.<br>that's why brad and you can disagree about warhol and twilight and both be right. <br>all art has soul. (i'm not talking about work a person pounds out to make a dime- but art that's an expression of self). soul is the very definition of true art.<br>whether we connect and understand the meanings- that's all individual interpretation. <br>i hope, hope, hope my writing can connect with people. i hope it will haunt them, and make them think and FEEL. <br>but soul is subjective and that makes it very hard to quantify or pin down. :)<br>lovely post em!aspiring_xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01218698236837610704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250095548371624935.post-80360482132834820482010-09-29T13:59:28.227-04:002010-09-29T13:59:28.227-04:00I still haven't cracked open Twilight. I don&#...I still haven't cracked open Twilight. I don't care so much about the adverbs or whether it is written well or not. The characters just have no appeal to me. <br><br>I loved The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman. That book was full of adverbs and adjectives, long sentences and descriptions. But the story captured me with the concept that an 80-year old woman from New Brunswick, New Jersey, bored with old lady activities, would act on a old dream of being a spy and apply to the CIA. And get accepted. <br><br>The most recent story that spoke to me was The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. I could have used that book as a tween. Or even through my late teens. I loved how Miri applied her Diplomacy lessons.<br><br>Books are such a matter of taste.Jaleh Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04942272578488986874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250095548371624935.post-82889926017954093962010-09-29T14:37:34.583-04:002010-09-29T14:37:34.583-04:00Thanks for all the comments, guys! Yes, soul is d...Thanks for all the comments, guys! Yes, soul is definitely subjective. There are numerous books cherished by millions that I just didn't "get."<br><br>I truly hope people will connect with my books someday. All I can do is put all of myself in them and hope for the best.Emily Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06478461123707071108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250095548371624935.post-45554921542084072742010-09-29T16:04:11.310-04:002010-09-29T16:04:11.310-04:00I agree that truly great writing has soul.I think ...I agree that truly great writing has soul.<br><br>I think that the way for a writer to tell if his/her work has soul or not is to ask themselves: Does this make me look into my own soul? If the answer is yes then they've got a winner. <br><br>Only when WE believe in our writing can we make others believe it.<br><br>JaiJai Joshihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04858987106548357551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250095548371624935.post-67334040774515051002010-09-29T23:22:20.492-04:002010-09-29T23:22:20.492-04:00Great point and post Emily. I can't discuss th...Great point and post Emily. I can't discuss this about my WIP because the underlying theme is supposed to be a shocking surprise.Matthew Rushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.com