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"Zane wrote that Alan wrote that Scratch wrote that Alan edited that."

-Alan Wake in a nutshell

#Alan Wake #Alan Wake 2 #Alan Wake spoilers

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Alright, I'm a fool. Somehow I just never learned the actual songs' names until now. In my defense, most of the search results for those two just yield "Elder Warrior Gerrod" or "Dark Witch Eleine," where searching for other boss names gets you the official song title pretty much instantly (searching for Ender Lilies Julius theme gets you Accolade pretty-much immediately.)

But yeah, this is my L and I'll accept it.

You know, of all the bosses in Ender Lilies, I feel like Eleine and Gerrod kinda got shafted with their boss theme titles. I mean, all the others get a theme named to fit their story.

Julius: Accolade Julius only ever sought one thing: acknowledgement from his father. He rose up from nothing to become the captain of the royal knights, earning fame and prestige, even presumably partaking in the Battle of the Bastion. Despite all of his accolades, however, Julius never received the recognition he wanted until the very end.

Hoenir: The Sun As leader of the Dark Executioners, Hoenir spent most of his life living in the shadows. His duty was to remain unseen and unacknowledged by the kingdom he served. Hoenir spent much of his time in the dark, dismal dungeon that was the Stockade. To someone like him, the light and warmth of the sun must have been a nigh-foreign concept... And yet he defended the last light of hope from the Blight for as long as he possibly could.

Ulv: Bloom Ulv was known by many as the Mad Warrior. He was a stoic man of few words that mercilessly cut down the kingdom's enemies. Many of Ulv's own allies feared him, but in truth, he was actually a gentle soul deep down that simply lacked the ability to properly express himself through words. Fretia was the only one that saw Ulv for who and what he truly was, even instilling in him a love of nature's beauty. Ulv spent a great deal of time watching over a field of Fretia's favorite flowers; when Rain of Death came, his last moments of sanity were spent watching the flowers bloom.

Miriel: Evil There's a lot of ways you can interpret this one. Miriel was infected by the Blight while working alongside Fayden, and so he took to increasingly desperate measures to reverse her transformation. Even after Miriel fully transformed into a massive, hideous beast, however, she was... Different from the other Blighted. She attacks Lillie seemingly not out of malice, but to protect Fayden's lab. Though she may be corrupted, and while wicked deeds may surround her, one must ask: is this monster truly evil?

The Blighted Lord: Mother I mean... This one is pretty self-explanatory.

So yeah, you get all these clever, one-word song titles for most of the bosses in the game that hold significant narrative purpose to the characters, and then there's just... "Gerrod the Elder Warrior and Dark Witch Eleine." Like, yeah they sum up the boss you're fighting, but they feel kind of generic compared to the rest.

#Ender Lilies #rukafais

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All the tumblr booping nonsense today just reminds me of Welch's Handy Sticks.

#Star ocean #Welch Vineyard

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The thing I find most curious about Ender Magnolia is the name. Ender Lilies stars Lily, obviously, whereas Ender Magnolia stars Lilac. I can't help but feel like that decision to name the MC a different flower than that of the title is going to have massive implications. Spoilers for Ender Lilies under the cut.

The clever thing about the first games title is the use of plural. There are, in fact, two characters in that game named Lily. The Lily you play as sort of accidentally takes the name from one of the other White Priestess clones, so there are two Lilies.

Obviously it's WAY too soon to speculate on anything (I haven't played the early access demo), but I'm certain that the name Magnolia will be significant in the second game's story somehow.

#Ender Lilies #Ender Magnolia

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You know, of all the bosses in Ender Lilies, I feel like Eleine and Gerrod kinda got shafted with their boss theme titles. I mean, all the others get a theme named to fit their story.

Julius: Accolade Julius only ever sought one thing: acknowledgement from his father. He rose up from nothing to become the captain of the royal knights, earning fame and prestige, even presumably partaking in the Battle of the Bastion. Despite all of his accolades, however, Julius never received the recognition he wanted until the very end.

Hoenir: The Sun As leader of the Dark Executioners, Hoenir spent most of his life living in the shadows. His duty was to remain unseen and unacknowledged by the kingdom he served. Hoenir spent much of his time in the dark, dismal dungeon that was the Stockade. To someone like him, the light and warmth of the sun must have been a nigh-foreign concept... And yet he defended the last light of hope from the Blight for as long as he possibly could.

Ulv: Bloom Ulv was known by many as the Mad Warrior. He was a stoic man of few words that mercilessly cut down the kingdom's enemies. Many of Ulv's own allies feared him, but in truth, he was actually a gentle soul deep down that simply lacked the ability to properly express himself through words. Fretia was the only one that saw Ulv for who and what he truly was, even instilling in him a love of nature's beauty. Ulv spent a great deal of time watching over a field of Fretia's favorite flowers; when Rain of Death came, his last moments of sanity were spent watching the flowers bloom.

Miriel: Evil There's a lot of ways you can interpret this one. Miriel was infected by the Blight while working alongside Fayden, and so he took to increasingly desperate measures to reverse her transformation. Even after Miriel fully transformed into a massive, hideous beast, however, she was... Different from the other Blighted. She attacks Lillie seemingly not out of malice, but to protect Fayden's lab. Though she may be corrupted, and while wicked deeds may surround her, one must ask: is this monster truly evil?

The Blighted Lord: Mother I mean... This one is pretty self-explanatory.

So yeah, you get all these clever, one-word song titles for most of the bosses in the game that hold significant narrative purpose to the characters, and then there's just... "Gerrod the Elder Warrior and Dark Witch Eleine." Like, yeah they sum up the boss you're fighting, but they feel kind of generic compared to the rest.

#Ender Lilies

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Blooming Rose

So, a long time ago, back when I was still interested in writing music, I tried my hand at doing a fan song for RWBY. I never really finished it, since I'm a terrible singer and can BARELY play an instrument, but with all the chaos surrounding RT's recent closure and the future of the series uncertain... I figured now was as good a time as any to dust off this old project and properly finish the lyrics.

I know it's hardly professional level, and it might not be as impactful since there's no melody to go with it, but... Well, I did the best I could given that this isn't my area of expertise. So, without further ado...

(Instrumental build up)

Red Like Roses fills my veins The Flower blooms And the Darkness wanes

A seed of hope Takes root in me A Simple Soul To set us free (Set us free)

Oh you know this will be the day The sun has risen Time to find our own way

It's not time to say goodbye We'll reach out and grasp the sky The future's looking bright We won't fall here (We won't fall here)

Red Like Roses fills my veins The Flower blooms And the Darkness wanes

A seed of hope Takes root in me A Simple Soul To set us free

When all seems lost Let's just live Bury the past Forget and forgive

The triumph comes And hope does too The spring arrives Rising anew

Trust love Don't need guidance from above For every life I'll persevere

Inside I know this simple truth My soul shines bright I'm indomitable...

Red Like Roses fills my veins The Flower blooms And the Darkness wanes

A seed of hope Takes root in me A Simple Soul... A simple soul will set us free

#RWBY

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Me describing the plot of Xenoblade 3 to a friend:

(Warning, massive Xenoblade spoilers under the cut)

I tried to keep it simple

#Xenoblade Chronicles #Xenoblade #Xenoblade 3 #Xenoblade spoilers

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To be fair, I don't think it has NOTHING to do with the original. The Blight seems to be a returning force this time around, this time taking the form of mist rather than rain.

Also, just based on their design and abilities, I think it's plausible to assume that Lilac may be related to the White Priestesses. Hell, for all we know, they could be Lily's kid.

Ender Lilies sequel apparently having nothing to do with the first game is both good and bad, because on the one hand two out of three endings for the first game has Lily in a much better place and every loose thread gets tied more or less.

...but on the other hand I MISS MY BABYYYY T-T

#Ender Lilies #Ender Magnolia

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Thinking on it... If Hazbin Hotel has a demon for every kind of entertainment medium (radio, TV, "adult content" and social media), do you think there's a book demon lurking around somewhere?

#Hazbin Hotel #Vizziepop #I can't be the first one to have asked this question #But it's interesting to think about

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You ever think about how absolutely busted Ben 10 would be if he revolved his fighting style around rapid-changing? It still boggles my mind that the original series set up the idea of combining different aliens' powers with mutant Kevin, but Ben himself never really takes advantage of that, even when he gets Master Control.

Like, imagine him running at someone full-sprint as XLR8, turning into Fourarms at the last minute and letting the momentum carry over into "one mean punch," as Kevin once put it.

Alternatively: turn into Water Hazard, douse someone, then change into an electric alien to give the voltage some extra kick.

The only drawback I can see with this is draining the Omnitrix's battery faster, but the rules for how that works have never been consistent.

#Ben 10

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Real talk: I feel like turning Mickey Mouse into a horror monster is kind of the blandest direction you can go right now. People have been doing that with CreepyPastas WELL before he became public domain. I absolutely encourage taking full advantage of his public domain status to spite Disney, but surely we can do something more original at this point, no?

#Mickey Mouse #Steamboat Willy #Public Domain

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Things That May Be Causing Your Writer's Block- and How to Beat Them

I don't like the term 'Writer's Block' - not because it isn't real, but because the term is so vague that it's useless. Hundreds of issues all get lumped together under this one umbrella, making writer's block seem like this all-powerful boogeyman that's impossible to beat. Worse yet, it leaves people giving and receiving advice that is completely ineffective because people often don't realize they're talking about entirely different issues.

In my experience, the key to beating writer's block is figuring out what the block even is, so I put together a list of Actual Reasons why you may be struggling to write:

(note that any case of writer's block is usually a mix of two or more)

Perfectionism (most common)

What it looks like:

You write one sentence and spend the next hour googling "synonyms for ___"

Write. Erase. Write. Rewrite. Erase.

Should I even start writing this scene when I haven't figured out this one specific detail yet?

I hate everything I write

Cringing while writing

My first draft must be perfect, or else I'm a terrible writer

Things that can help:

Give yourself permission to suck

Keep in mind that nothing you write is going to be perfect, especially your first draft

Think of writing your first/early drafts not as writing, but sketching out a loose foundation to build upon later

People write multiple drafts for a reason: write now, edit later

Stop googling synonyms and save that for editing

Write with a pen to reduce temptation to erase

Embrace leaving blank spaces in your writing when you can't think of the right word, name, or detail

It's okay if your writing sucks. We all suck at some point. Embrace the growth mindset, and focus on getting words on a page

Lack of inspiration (easiest to fix)

What it looks like:

Head empty, no ideas

What do I even write about???

I don't have a plot, I just have an image

Want to write but no story to write

Things that can help:

Google writing prompts

If writing prompts aren't your thing, instead try thinking about what kind of tropes/genres/story elements you would like to try out

Instead of thinking about the story you would like to write, think about the story you would like to read, and write that

It's okay if you don't have a fully fleshed out story idea. Even if it's just an image or a line of dialogue, it's okay to write that. A story may or may not come out of it, but at least you got the creative juices flowing

Stop writing. Step away from your desk and let yourself naturally get inspired. Go for a walk, read a book, travel, play video games, research history, etc. Don't force ideas, but do open up your mind to them

If you're like me, world-building may come more naturally than plotting. Design the world first and let the story come later

Boredom/Understimulation (lost the flow)

What it looks like:

I know I should be writing but uugggghhhh I just can'tttttt

Writing words feels like pulling teeth

I started writing, but then I got bored/distracted

I enjoy the idea of writing, but the actual process makes me want to throw my laptop out the window

Things that can help:

Introduce stimulation: snacks, beverages, gum, music such as lo-fi, blankets, decorate your writing space, get a clickity-clackity keyboard, etc.

Add variety: write in a new location, try a new idea/different story for a day or so, switch up how you write (pen and paper vs. computer) or try voice recording or speech-to-text

Gamify writing: create an arbitrary challenge, such as trying to see how many words you can write in a set time and try to beat your high score

Find a writing buddy or join a writer's group

Give yourself a reward for every writing milestone, even if it's just writing a paragraph

Ask yourself whether this project you're working on is something you really want to be doing, and be honest with your answer

Intimidation/Procrastination (often related to perfectionism, but not always)

What it looks like:

I was feeling really motivated to write, but then I opened my laptop

I don't even know where to start

I love writing, but I can never seem to get started

I'll write tomorrow. I mean next week. Next month? Next month, I swear (doesn't write next month)

Can't find the time or energy

Unreasonable expectations (I should be able to write 10,000 words a day, right????)

Feeling discouraged and wondering why I'm even trying

Things that can help:

Follow the 2 min rule (or the 1 paragraph rule, which works better for me): whenever you sit down to write, tell yourself that you are only going to write for 2 minutes. If you feel like continuing once the 2 mins are up, go for it! Otherwise, stop. Force yourself to start but DO NOT force yourself to continue unless you feel like it. The more often you do this, the easier it will be to get started

Make getting started as easy as possible (i.e. minimize barriers: if getting up to get a notebook is stopping you from getting started, then write in the notes app of your phone)

Commit to a routine that will work for you. Baby steps are important here. Go with something that feels reasonable: every day, every other day, once a week, twice a week, and use cues to help you remember to start. If you chose a set time to write, just make sure that it's a time that feels natural to you- i.e. don't force yourself to writing at 9am every morning if you're not a morning person

Find a friend or a writing buddy you can trust and talk it out or share a piece of work you're proud of. Sometimes we just get a bit bogged down by criticism- either internal or external- and need a few words of encouragement

The Problem's Not You, It's Your Story (or Outline (or Process))

What it looks like:

I have no problems writing other scenes, it's just this scene

I started writing, but now I have no idea where I'm going

I don't think I'm doing this right

What's an outline?

Drowning in documents

This. Doesn't. Make. Sense. How do I get from this plot point to this one?!?!?! (this ColeyDoesThings quote lives in my head rent free cause BOY have I been there)

Things That Can Help:

Go back to the drawing board. Really try to get at the root of why a scene or story isn't working

A part of growing as a writer is learning when to kill your darlings. Sometimes you're trying to force an idea or scene that just doesn't work and you need to let it go

If you don't have an outline, write one

If you have an outline and it isn't working, rewrite it, or look up different ways to structure it

You may be trying to write as a pantser when you're really a plotter or vice versa. Experiment with different writing processes and see what feels most natural

Study story structures, starting with the three act structure. Even if you don't use them, you should know them

Check out Ellen Brock on YouTube. She's a professional novel editor who has a lot of advice on writing strategies for different types of writers

Also check out Savage Books on YouTube (another professional story editor) for advice on story structure and dialogue. Seriously, I cannot recommend this guy enough

Executive Dysfunction, Usually From ADHD/Autism

What it looks like:

Everything in boredom/understimulation

Everything in intimidation/procrastination

You have been diagnosed with and/or have symptoms of ADHD/Autism

Things that can help:

If you haven't already, seek a diagnosis or professional treatment

Hire an ADHD coach or other specialist that can help you work with your brain (I use Shimmer; feel free to DM me for a referral)

Seek out neurodiverse communities for advice and support

Try body doubling! There's lot's of free online body doubling websites out there for you to try. If social anxiety is a barrier, start out with writing streams such as katecavanaughwrites on Twitch

Be aware of any sensory barriers that may be getting in the way of you writing (such as an uncomfortable desk chair, harsh lighting, bad sounds)

And Lastly, Burnout, Depression, or Other Mental Illness

What it looks like:

You have symptoms of burnout or depression

Struggling with all things, not just writing

It's more than a lack of inspiration- the spark is just dead

Things that can help:

Forget writing for now. Focus on healing first.

Seek professional help

If you feel like it, use writing as a way to explore your feelings. It can take the form of journaling, poetry, an abstract reflection of your thoughts, narrative essays, or exploring what you're feeling through your fictional characters. The last two helped me rediscover my love of writing after I thought years of depression had killed it for good. Just don't force yourself to do so, and stop if it takes you to a darker place instead of feeling cathartic

#writing #writing advice

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Sonic fans who HAVEN'T read the IDW comics

Explain the context of this picture:

#Sonic the Hedgehog #IDW Sonic

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I FINALLY FINISHED IT

…is Dark Souls even relevant anymore?

This is my personal farewell to a game series that has managed to captivate and move me like no other. Perhaps you will find a few of your own experiences reflected within it, too. If you’ve found this comic, I’m glad we could undertake a small part of this journey together. Enjoy!

(I would have liked to include so many more things but ajksdkflkanc I’m just glad it is done)

#Dark Souls #Comic #Trusty Patches

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Endou Yuu versus the cosmic unknown 

#art

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WHY IS THIS A THING!?

#Pokemon #Pokemon Horizons #Roy Pokemon #Pokeballs #Seriously who designed this and for what reason #WHY WERE THERE MULTIPLE IN THE BOX!?

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Someone said they look like the three Musketeers in this weeks’ episode and this image immediately got stuck in my head :D

#Pokemon Horizons #fan art #Liko #Dot #Roy