I also agree on SoL being an important element in writing. The problem shows up, when writers can't really balance the contents of their story well enough. As @@RedK said, it's fine for SoL to make majority of the game's content, at least in terms of modern standards (although, I'd still digress - even moege or charage can be written differently - they don't particulary require SoL as sole supporting element), but things get different with story-centric prose. Whereas an average charage or moege can survive solely on influx of SoL elements, more active genres require action and catalysts for these to actually happen. Good prose tends to minimize SoL elements to brief periods between chapters or events, where the action unfolds and remain used solely as subtle character-building devices. It's said, that "real characters" gain soul only through "real ordeals" - obviously, SoL itself isn't enough to actually construct an interesting character with deep personality, unless you're planning to create the next generation of Mary Sue's.
AtomCrafty reacted to Narcosis in VN element: Slice-of-life