inkwell-intrigues

[inkwell-intrigues]

I think you had already said it but I got lost. Why did you rewrite the whole story for Chalice? He became like your favorite character and that's why the change of prominence? Will it stop being a story focused on brothers? I say because from writer to writer it is really difficult to keep several protagonists at the same time with the same importance, but if there are 3, one ends up overshadowing the rest no matter how hard you try, there are cases where there may be a little exception but for very little. My real question is... Was it a completely necessary change to rewrite everything? Maybe add parts of the importance of Chalice later or intertwine them with a detail that you wrote in previous chapters...

I am sorry for any inconvenience of grammatical type or coherence and cohesion. English is not my main language, much less one that I master.

No worries! So- I'm not rewriting the whole story for specifically Chalice, while she is a protagonist, she will get less "screen time" than the brothers, who are and will remain the main focus.

My reason for a rewrite is simply that I feel that the current version of TSTS is not 100% the story I meant to tell.

I got a little lost along the way, going, I believe, far too in depth into the backstory of Ginette (Don't worry- Gin isn't going away, but I focused on her too much, I think), the plot's pacing began to slow down after chapter 13 and onward, and I just lost track of the story I wanted to tell.

As for Chalice: For me, TSTS is about a family that has been torn apart and how families can survive terrible things, and grow to include more people! Chalice is a vital part of that family, and in the current draft I kind of overlooked Chalice. Now, I don't technically need to have her play a bigger role, but I want to. I want Chalice to play a bigger part because I believe she has an important story to tell - one that I strongly resonate with. (But here's a fun fact- she isn't actually my favorite character at all! That honor goes to Mugman! xD But, I advocate for Chalice because I believe so strongly in the story that I want her to tell.)

Additionally, Chalice has a HUGE role to play in the finale, but I didn't develop her well enough in the initial draft for her role in the finale to feel satisfying. (But you are right- 3 protagonists is EXHAUSTING, but I made a few changes that I think will balance it well!)

Now to clarify, I'm not going to rewrite everything. Chapters 7-12 are what I'm calling my "golden standard", so those and some others (Chp. 15, 20, etc.) will not undergo massive changes. What I want is to reshape TSTS's current writing into something that better matches the dream story that has haunted my brain for the past 5 years or so. Of course the dream has changed and been shaped by the DLC, by the Cuphead Show, and by you guys- all my wonderful readers! - but I still hold onto parts of that original story. Parts I almost lost in trying to finish a story while very burnt out. I want to be able to honor those nearly lost parts of the story.

Was it a completely necessary change to rewrite everything?

Depends on who you ask. And once again, I'm not rewriting everything!

But, was the rewrite necessary? For me it was.

This story means a lot to me and has a lot of roots in my own childhood and experiences. It's my baby in some ways, one that will have its 6 year anniversary this summer. I want it to be as perfect as I can get it, not just for me, but for all the people it represents and all of the readers that my words have somehow managed to touch.

Thank you for your question, and I hope my word vomit of an answer makes sense! Also, don't worry - your English is very easy for me to read!

Thank you so much for your support and I hope you have an amazing day!

- Ink

#cuphead #the strength and the sight #the author speaks

[inkwell-intrigues]

ROUGH DRAFT - Chapter One: An Unexpected Guest

The eerie sound of a never-ending tapping filled the once lavish office. Torn newspapers littered the floor, their headlines taunting a hunched over figure in the center of the room, whose eye would dart from page to page, tapping his clawed fingers ceaselessly in anger.

With a growl, the newspaper that was being read suddenly burst into flames and was tossed aside. Glancing around, the latest issue of the Honeycomb Herald caught the figure’s eye. Snatching it up with a mangy hand, he began to read the front page article, his grip tightening with every word.

---

Devil Defunct?

Has the Devil finally left the Inkwell Isles?

It has been 3 months since the dumbfounding defeat of the Devil himself by none other than two youngsters at a mere 10 years of age, no less! Now as the weeks go by and all remains calm, the citizens of the Inkwell Isles cannot help but ask, “Is it over?”

The Devil's lair, Mt. Inkwell Hell, has sealed itself off, as if the Devil's Casino never existed, ever since that fateful day two children stood up to the King of  the Underworld. Though gamblers from Inkwell and beyond vehemently protest, the rest of us upstanding citizens breathe a heavy sigh of relief.

But even in our newfound paradise, rumors have already begun to spread regarding the Devil’s return. There are reported sightings of his devious imps and King Dice’s playing cards sneaking about and causing all sorts of mischief. Although none of these sightings have been confirmed, it presents a worrying question: Is the Devil still here, under our very noses, lying in wait to strike?

To quell our concerns, we turn to vibrant victors and heroes of the Inkwell Isles, Mindful Mugman and Courageous Cuphead, to hear their thoughts on the matter:

Mugman: “Well, I don’t think the Devil is comin’ back. Not after Cups and I made a fool outta him, but I can see why everyone’s so worried. The casino closing all quick-like and people spotting imps runnin’ about is sure strange. But my Elder Kettle says the Devil’s prideful. I don’t think he would be hiding out while everyone’s makin’ fun of him.”

Cuphead: “The Devil? Comin’ back? Hah! Not in a million years. That big ol’ crybaby won’t ever show his sorry face in Inkwell ever again, or anywhere else anywhere near here! Everyone knows how Mugsy and I beat him good, so who’s gonna respect him now? No one wants to sell their soul to a washed up rug who got beat by a couple of kids, that’s for sure.

And if he did try somethin’ stupid, he’s gonna have to go through me and my brother first! So don’t even be worried about it, the Inkwell Isles ain’t gonna be bothered by him and his goons ever again.”

So there you have it, folks! The Cup Brothers, protectors of the Inkwell Isles, are sure that the Devil won’t return. And if he does, he’ll get a walloping of a lifetime!

---

The very temperature of the room seemed to rise as the Devil read the article with sparks flying from his mangy fur. With a swift slash of a yellowed claw, the newspaper was torn cleanly in half and thrown aside into a rapidly growing pile of other ripped apart newspapers. Letting out a half-hearted chuckle, the Devil snapped his fingers and the entire pile of newspapers was set alight.

This was ridiculous. How could such inconsequential, menial mortals dare to mock him? He could eviscerate them with a simple wave of his hand if he so desired. He could-

As the Devil shifted, he knocked over a small vial. One of the many scattered across his desk. The demon’s heart skipped a beat, catching the vial just before it hit the floor. With a gentleness thoroughly unnatural for the Devil, he gingerly laid the vial back on his desk.

This would be his masterpiece. There had never been a more perfectly exacted revenge in all his millennia. If one potion caused his defeat, another would ensure his return.

The Devil was no fool- he knew exactly how those sniveling children had beaten him. It was just his luck that their guardian, that damned Elder Kettle, had somehow gotten ahold of a Calix potion from that bygone era.

Damn him! That old man would pay dearly for his mistake before the end.

And it wasn’t just him. Those brothers had gotten help from her. The Legendary Chalice. She’d helped them, trained them in the Calix’s ancient techniques, and hidden away like a coward as she watched her little puppets do the dirty work. The very thought of Chalice sent a shower of fiery sparks flying off The Devil’s black fur. Her insolence defied even death.

But not for long.

The Devil’s gaze returned to the vial, full of bubbling red liquid. And then there was its complement, another vial which glowed with a light blue liquid.

“Patience,” he muttered to himself as he lit a cigar.

Glancing up, his eyes fell on a chalkboard covered with formulas. He was so close to success. Just a few more tests and it would be perfect. After all these years, he had finally cracked the code of their ancient formulas, and his revenge would be exacted. Not just against those boys, but against his greatest adversary: The Calix Animi.

-

END OF DRAFT

-

So there you have it! My first actual writing in about 6 months! Feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions in the replies!

Thank you for reading!!!

#cuphead #the strength and the sight

[inkwell-intrigues]

ME. INK. AND GINETTE HAVE THE SAME BIRTHDAY. WHAT IS HAPPENING

Did I make Gin have the same birthday as us? I totally forgot LMAO

[inkwell-intrigues]

What is your “core”/aesthetic? Why?

The messiest cottagecore woman alive. (I had to take a buzzfeed quiz to figure that out) I hoard like a goblin, but I love pretty flowers and nature and animals and I would kill to live on a farm!

(except I wouldn't be able to take care of anything because ADHD and I can barely take care of myself and two animals XDXD)

#the author speaks

[inkwell-intrigues]

Hope you’re doing well and to see the reboot of The Sight and Strength soon. And I do it’ll turn out well as you had envisioned it. Happy Belated New BTW. 😅

Thank you so so much! <3 It feels good to be back and to be writing again. And thank you for the birthday wishes!!! It's weird to be older- I still feel like I'm 14, but now I'm a grown adult. xD

#the strength and the sight #the author speaks

[inkwell-intrigues]

sorry to ask this, and I'm sure you've been asked about this alot, but how's the updated version of the strength and the sight going? is there going to be updates on it any time soon?

No worries! As for the updated TSTS, I'm not entirely sure when it will come out. I only just finished the rewritten Chapter 1 after coming back from a MASSIVE burnout, and I need to fix up most chapters, add some more Chalice POVS in and still write the ending. My goal is to write about 400 words a day or 2800 in a week. Not that I will always meet that goal, cause I'm also going back to university! Which is great for my future but bad for time management. XD

I will try to upload regular updates, but I don't know if I will upload any full chapters until I finish the whole book, because I want to make sure my plot is 100% consistent and has correct foreshadowing, character arc development, etc... before I release anything.

Basically- I'm not sure! But I'm trying to be more active now and I think I'll post a draft of part of the 1st chapter tonight here on Tumblr!

I know it's hard not seeing any progress, but I promise you- I've not forgotten you all! <3

#the strength and the sight #the author speaks

[inkwell-intrigues]

I haven’t read your story in a while (I’ll catch up I swear!) but let me just say- OML YOUR STORY IS SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPLIALIDOCIOUS! YOU INSPIRED ME SO MUCH— YOU ARE A GENIUS WRITER! 💖💖💖 It’s so interesting and entertaining- your art is ✨AMAZING✨ HOW DO YOU KEEP THEM IN CHARACTER— AJSJSNDJNSND

God bless you, your husband and your wonderful talents! I’m so glad I finally get to tell you this!

AHHHHHH- THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!!! That really really REALLY means a lot!!

As for how I keep them in character? Honestly I’ve been hyper fixated on Cuphead for so long that all the characters kind of live in my head, but even I write them out of character sometimes- but I have amazing beta readers who help me catch those mess-ups, and also just rereading after a few hours helps me see what can be improved!

Thank you again for all your kind words! Blessings to you as well! ❤️

#the author speaks

[inkwell-intrigues]

Is there a link of your stories being in an order? Or is it posted somewhere else? Cause tumblr’s confusing and I’m also not sure if your posting a comic or a reading story on your account?

Oh my gosh- I feel so bad that I JUST SAW THIS! AAAAAA-

So, it is actually a fanfiction on A03, currently I’m rewriting it, but you can read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/39688362/chapters/99358029

[inkwell-intrigues]

this is my first drawing of the year

[inkwell-intrigues]

Sneak Peek:

Chapter One

(Opening Image) The story begins 6+ months after the Cup Brothers defeat the Devil. We open with an unsettling description of the empty Devil’s Casino and begin the Devil’s character arc.

Currently, the Devil is mentally unstable after months of ceaselessly plotting revenge on the Cup Brothers, but now it’s almost time for him to “return to the spotlight.”

(Setup) We cut to Elder Kettle’s cottage where the trio listens to Dirk Dangerous while Elder Kettle is making dinner. The family is characterized as content and healthy.

(Theme Stated) During dinner, the trio discuss the radio show and inadvertently foreshadow their own character arcs and their character flaws.

The family finishes dinner and is about to clean up when Chalice announces that she has a surprise, darting out to the back and telling the family she’ll be back soon.

While the brothers wait, they hear odd rustling outside and Elder Kettle complains about the uptick in “rats”. Cuphead and Mugman decide to take care of said rats.

Meanwhile, Chalice sneaks out to the dock by the cottage and grabs a cake made by Chef Saltbaker she’d ordered as a gift. Reminiscing on the past, she walks back.

(Catalyst) Cuphead and Mugman step outside to deal with the “rats” and find themselves ambushed by the Devil’s imps!

Elder Kettle tries to help but gets knocked down, flung back into the house, and the door is slammed shut. He tries to get up but is in incredible pain.

Oblivious, Chalice strolls along until she hears the faint sound of a commotion. She phases through the house and finds Elder Kettle, but is unable to get to the brothers.

It seems that the imps have cast a barrier spell that blocks off Chalice, she tries to dispel it but cannot harness the magic she once was an expert at.

Trapped, Elder Kettle and Chalice can only listen in horror until the sounds of fighting stop and the magic barrier disappears.

Assuming Cuphead and Mugman were victorious, Chalice hurries out, only to find an empty yard. She screams, calling out to the brothers, but there is no answer.

#cuphead #the strength and the sight #the author speaks #tsts

[inkwell-intrigues]

Oh yeah, I've found the perfect story structure to follow. :)))

(This is from the book: Save the Cat Goes to the Indies which has a guide on how to use their structure for a "Monster in the House" narrative. You can read the 1st chapter with the analysis I'll be using here.)

#cuphead #the strength and the sight #the author speaks #writer's log

[inkwell-intrigues]

Writer's Log: Characterizing a Legendary Hero

It’s another writer’s log!! I didn’t forget about you guys- I swear!

I just got my wisdom teeth pulled and then a week later I had a medical emergency and was in the hospital for a bit (I’m okay now, it just sucked while it was happening).

Anyway, I’ve still been chipping away at the rewrite bit by bit. I want to use the Save the Cat story structure to help with pacing and such, so I think I’ll need to restructure the story slightly, BUT my main focus for today is on the 3rd member of the Cuphead Trio: Ms. Chalice.

In my work, I find I’m best at writing children and messed-up villains. So- that’s got Cuphead, Mugman, and the Devil covered, but then there’s Chalice.

She’s one of the most complex characters in TSTS (with the Devil being the other). Chalice in some ways is still a child, in different ways, she acts like an adult: A child soldier who was forced to grow up, tasked with a divine mission, and stuck in purgatory as a spirit on Earth until her mission is completed.

A character like that is HARD to write at all, and even harder to write correctly. About 99% of my characters are based on people I know and last time I checked- I don’t know the holy ghost of a child soldier.

So, in my first draft of TSTS, I ended up not really giving her enough “screen time”. Like, she’s important in the first draft, but I didn’t give her enough quality time/chapters to develop her. This would’ve come back to haunt me in the climax of the novel where Chalice will play a MAJOR role.

In this rewrite, I’m going to change that.

First off- I want her much more involved. She is going to play a HUGE role in the story and the amount of time/care I put into her character should reflect that. For instance, my current plan is to put her in the first chapter (which will be VERY different from the original) and to be there when the brothers are kidnapped. Now, of course, I’m going to need to figure out how Chalice doesn’t just kill all the imps and save the brothers, but I think I have some good ideas for that. :)

Basically, I want her to have just as much “screen time” as the brothers in a separate but interconnected plotline. Everything Chalice does should affect the brothers in some way and vice versa.

To start, I need to iron out her personality: When I write, I plot out my characters by giving them a few “keywords” to define their personality as well as a “Character Archetype”. (I usually do 2 positive character traits, one character flaw, and then their deadly sin and heavenly virtue.) Originally I was going to take the Myer’s Brigg test “in character” for each main character, but that takes WAYYY too much time.

With all that being said, here’s my character personality outline for Chalice:

Ms. Chalice

The undying spirit of a prophesized warrior who hails from an ancient order of the Calix Animi. She is one of the novel's three protagonists and Cuphead+Mugman’s best friend.

Personality Traits

Loyal: Chalice is a true friend, loyal even to the point of death. Despite her sometimes oversized ego, Chalice has her friends' best interests at heart and will do anything for those she loves and cares for.

Clever: Chalice is quick-witted, resourceful, and knows how to stay on people's good side. Thanks to her quick wits, Chalice was an exemplary general in the Calix Animi, and nowadays she uses her wits to get those around her to like her/listen to her.

Arrogant: With how much Chalice was worshipped by her fellow Calix Animi warriors starting from a very young age, Chalice's arrogance was practically guaranteed. Chalice thinks very highly of herself and can become agitated when others don't respect her as much as she thinks they should.

Deadly Sin: Pride

From a very young age, Chalice was constantly hailed as “The Chosen One” leading to her having an incredibly inflated ego/self-image, and being incredibly prideful. Chalice's pride ultimately led to her death and the collapse of the Calix Animi. The Devil is very well aware of her pride and heavily enjoys using it to manipulate her.

Heavenly Virtue: Diligence

Chalice may struggle with her inflated ego, but no one works harder than her to get things done. Even when discouraged, Chalice pulls herself up by her bootstraps and keeps working till the job gets done.

Character Archetype: The Magician

“The Magician is most commonly a visionary, usually oozing with charisma and inspiration. They use their imagination to evoke change and find win-win solutions. Their cleverness helps them envision possibilities and invent means to desired outcomes in situations where others would dare not.”

https://www.dabblewriter.com/articles/the-magician-archetype

http://charactertherapist.blogspot.com/2013/06/character-archetypes-101-magician.html

Character Inspirations (there’s probably more I can’t remember at the moment)

Matthias from Redwall

Scythe Anastasia from The Scythe Chronicles

A mix of Zelda and Link from The Legend of Zelda

Character-Inspired Songs

Jericho - Iniko

Deathly Loneliness Attacks - Mafumafu

Now, my step would be to plan out her character arc over the course of the plot -but I still need to actually outline my plot. Oops. xD

I should probably do that next. I'll try and do a writer's log on that, but I'll need to censor a lot of spoilers LOL.

Well, until next time,

Ink (Also thank you for all the kind words and comments. I know I'm pretty inactive but they mean a LOT to me. <3)

#cuphead #the strength and the sight #the author speaks #writer's log #tsts

[inkwell-intrigues]

Hiiiii! I’m back with more to show and say! :D so you know a few asks ago where someone/@catbutghost said what if they made a watercolor painting of Gin and her babies you would cry? Well…. Don’t cry but I might have made it and the base was made with watercolor! Hopefully you like it and I totally did not zoom into the photo to find out the story plot :D and have a very good idea of what the first chapter will be…. So yeah! See ya!

Im sorry for bothering with like 3 asks already lol so this will probably be my last one.

1: Cuphead why you look mad at me?

2:Cuz you look demonic like you like being here!

3: Now..Now… boys you both look dashing! I think your father I’ll like it.

4: Oh God don’t remind me…

5: I’ll give it to him mama! And so cuphead doesn’t have to do it.

6: Well thank you mugs!

7: Yeah thanks bro…

Also I don’t know if the question was sent or not but yeah Here ya go!

AWE!!! I LOVE IT!!!

Sorry, it did go through, I just haven't been on Tumblr in a fat minute XDXD

Thank you again for the wonderful art- It means a lot!!!

#cuphead #the strength and the sight

[inkwell-intrigues]

Got a great idea for reworking the first chapter! ;))) TOTK's beginning and The Great Mouse Detective's opening are fuelling this 1000%

#cuphead #the strength and the sight #the author speaks #writer's log

[inkwell-intrigues]

I DIDNT KNOW TRHIS WAS COMING OUT???? TCYVVUBJINKLM;,

Newest Chapter

Chapter 19; The Vault

This chapter took a hella long time. School really kicked me around this year. Anyways, a lot of many new secrets and bits for the kids are in this chapter ;)

[inkwell-intrigues]

The work continues... Also, I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed Friday and I am NOT looking forward to it.

#cuphead #the strength and the sight

[inkwell-intrigues]

Hmm