Soul Stealers

Well I sort of got this idea from reading another's blog, which got my thoughts moving upon the idea of writers as Soul Stlealers, in a way I see that as the gifit of the writer, though it sounds a bit ominous, and in someways I think it really is, I think there does come from it, somewhere deep down a certain almost sadistic power, and a certain primila pleasure born from that. There is more then one way to really apporach ths subject.

For one thing, as a writer, you create these beings, these characters, and you are like a God, for you make them come to life, and they each of thier own definet personalities and indivuilism, thier own lifes, and thoughts, feelings, pain, and joy, and you put them in thier own world to move through, but then invetiably you put them out there for other people to read, and somewhere out there, some person, soemone you do not know, never met before, is going to feel as if you have stripped them, as if you infiltrated thier heart, mind and soul, and did so just so show them, to say, I know you.

For these chracters that you create, they are somehow taken, bits and peices of them from people out there in the world, people you do not know, people you have not ecountered, and yet still you manage to draw something out of them and to make it your own then you throw it back into thier face to say look what I have done.

And well anyone who reads, as I myself know too well having been an avid reader sense just about as long as I knew how to read, have had this experince. Of reading something, and feeling yourself in the words, of seeing your own thoughts and feelings, your own past or preseant pains reflected back at you. And well in some way, there is something to be said, being a writier and sort of having the ability to return it, to do to others the very thing which had been done to you.

2:33 PM - 3/15/2007 - post comment

But on the flipside...

Stripped is such a strong way to put it; It almost sounds as if you feel a writer's reason for his craft is to violate another person. Each of us is born with our own special abilities and it just happens that a writer's gift is..well, to write.

Would you say a musician that sings a song of heartbreak does so to open old romantic wounds and wound the listener, therein giving hthe singer some selfish satisfaction?

Speaking from the heart of a writer herself, the reason for a writer's words isn't to gloat, wield power or throw dangerous knowledge in someone's face. A writer is a person that has been through life's hurts, Silver, just like anyone else. Someone who perhaps loves the world enough to relive their own pain so others can realize...that they are not alone in what they have felt and experienced.

It isn't easy to spread your inner self out before the world, starting with nothing but an empty, mocking sheet of paper. If it can be captured, what a writer chooses to share with others is a precious gift. In reality, our expression makes us more vulnerable to the reader, than the reader is to the writer. It is YOU who could steal our soul, because we have presented it to you, neatly binded in leather, thousands of pieces of ourselves formed into letters and words, written in, what feels like blood, depending on the subject matter.

To write is not only to give your readers the benefit of the lessons you have learned throughout existence...but, in essence, you are finding kindred spirits in the readers that have truly learned to understand us. We are healed and transformed knowing we have brought something to the world that can touch it that way, something that will live on long after us that tells people more of what we were like than a photograph or an obituary ad could..We live on in such an amazing way.

Silver, if words touch you...don't feel violated and recoil. That isn't what the writer intended, I'm sure. The words are there to help you reach inside yourself and face your fears. When you are strong, you might be able to help someone else that isn't as strong as you yet someday.

And then there is fictional writing which, although intense, might draw upon feelings simply for the entertainment value. We're not all starving artists. There are writers who want to make $$$$ and get a Hollywood deal. Lesson one is to choose your moments of intensity. You have control over how into your books you get, especially if you know the subject matter might be disturbing to you. I won't read Stephen King to save my life. I tried once and had to put the book in the fridge when it got scary, then take a sleeping pill..Haha =)

So, how do you feel about the idea of cats stealing people's breaths? =)

Anonymous - 4:14 PM - 3/15/2007

Writing

I would not disagree with you, and I know how ominous my peirce sounded but I am both a writier and a reader, and it is in my nature to revel things in the darker light and to twist them, to bring forth ideas that might be umcofrtable and make people look at things in a slightly skwewd way. Sure there are lots of positives of both reading and writhing, but everyone already knows that, I like to revel the other side of things that people might not take the time to consider or be comftrable with considering

SilverWind - 6:11 PM - 3/15/2007

For though All are not able to write books, all conceive themselves able to judge them. ~The Monk

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