#Memento mori-Motive

[startrekuniverse]

STRANGE NEW WORLDS

[thebabekwena]

Just keep swimming🤍

[enlargeyourlife]

Today you are one day closer to the day of your death. Are you focusing on improving yourself and moving towards your goals?  

[skeleton-in-a-hoodie]

This has been on my mind since before writing Memento Mori and I realised that I can talk about it now, cause Shen's existence isn't a spoiler anymore.

The DDMG fam's reactions towards the idea of Splinter dating:

Leo: finds the idea of Splinter dating kinda weird, and isn't 100% how to feel about Shen, but if it makes sensei happy he's cool with it. Tries to wingman much to Splinter's embarrassment. (Shen thinks it's hilarious.)

Raph: is supportive of Splinter, but is also a realist and knows that there's a good chance Shen isn't interested in dating Splinter because a) by the time they reunite, it's been almost two decades since Splinter died and b) Splinter looks like a near 7 foot tall humanoid rat, which not everyone is going to be into. That being said, he'll be really happy for Splinter if it goes well. The least embarrassing member of the family to be honest.

Donnie: Made a goddamn flow chart with ideas for how Splinter could ask her out. Raph pointed out that considering Splinter was married and had a daughter, he probably knows how to ask someone out. Donnie argues maybe Splinter forgot.

Mikey: helped make the flowchart. There's a good chance he asks Shen questions about Splinter.

(Splinter is begging his sons to stop helping at this point.)

April: very supportive and thinks they'd be a cute couple, but agrees with Raph that everyone needs to stop interfering and let Sensei handle this on his own (Splinter: THANK YOU APRIL!).

Casey: 100% made fun of Donnie for the flowchart of flirting, but made some notes for her own use cause some of the ideas aren't half bad. Is torn between helping Splinter or sitting back and watching how things turn out (Casey will die before he admits it, but he loves corny romance dramas).

Robyn: Everyone thought she'd be on the same team as Mikey and Donnie. She's actually team "if you break uncle's heart, you'll wake up with a horse head in your bed."

Venus: Needs to be kept away from Donnie and Mikey, least she come up with terrible ideas for how to wingman for Splinter. (She, much to her horror, takes after Tseng in the romance department.)

Tseng: Pre-emptively banned from giving relationship advice.

Socorro: is treating this like a romance drama. Thinks Splinter should go for it. Has a bet going with Tseng over if Splinter will ask Shen out.

Samson Silver: Trying not to interfer in Splinter's love life, but also wants to know all the details. Will help/ give advice if Splinter asks, which largely involves saying Splinter should talk to Shen.

Kirby: Hopes it goes well, but isn't going to pester Splinter with questions about it. The one Splinter goes to talk about relationships with, because everyone else is really encouraging but Splinter needs someone to talk to that isn't like "You should go for it" right off the bat, because rat dad has some reservations and is not going to discuss them with the kids.

Miwa: after getting to know splinter starts trying to wingman for her mom.

[deathismoment0]

-CorteQ

[mariacallous]

[imsosleepyofyourbull]

One of the most tragic things about demons in KNY is that they’re explicitly bastardizations of their human selves, twisted or malformed into something actively malicious.

Akaza, for example, originally sought strength as a way to provide and protect for his loved ones;

His father, and Koyuki.

He hates the weak because — to him — the weak are the kind who don’t confront you head on and use underhanded tactics. They’re ugly, they lack forbearance, and give into desperation too easily;

They give into the voices in their heads that say they have to hurt others to appease themselves.

This includes the men who laughed at or scorned his ailing father, the members of the dojo who poisoned the well, and the version of himself who killed 67 people for it. Who bloodied his master’s beloved martial arts and the very memory of his father, Keizo, and Koyuki. He wanted to become strong to outgrow that kind of weakness, and he forgot that when he became a demon. His goal became an obsession with strength just for the sake of it, rather than to provide and protect.

This, I believe, is the reason why he offers demonization to — at the very least — people like Rengoku and Giyuu. A part of him recognizes a similar motivation in them, and (because the demon half of him believes his current self to be the culmination of his efforts) he offers them his supposed salvation. A way to continue seeking power far beyond what a human can manage.

His goal survives where his accessible memory died with his corruption;

He subconsciously incorporated his loved ones into his very being as a demon.

A thing that remains consistent across the demons in KNY, with the hand demon and his memory of running home while holding his brother’s hand, the temari demon and her desire to play, and so on so forth. It’s horribly tragic.

But the part that stands out to me is the fact that this seems to apply to Muzan Kibutsuji too, because his desire to live past his disease when he was human manifested into an obsession with immortality as a demon. It didn’t matter that he was healthier than he’d ever been, the sun could still harm him and so he wasn’t perfect just yet. That’s why he searched so desperately for a demon who would either survive the sun or could become a part of the twelve waxing or waning moons who would protect him while he looked.

Fascinatingly, both he and Upper Moon One (Kokushibo) overlook the immortality of the memento mori philosophy. They focused on how they specifically could live on, forgetting that their knowledge and their history could be passed down and used or remembered by the people after them. Maybe that’s why they hated Yorichii so much — because he looked at the future where he would be forgotten and thought that he would love nothing more then to be a simple footnote in this long, arduous journey to their victory.

The Ubayashiki and many of the demon slayers in between felt similarly, giving their lives for the cause and knowing that someone else would one day do what they sought to do… that the world would eventually heal from demons altogether.

[sharoo]

The Flower-Seeker, the Robot, and the City without Faith

It's me again emerging from my mole's burrow to leave a thematic analysis piece and then bury myself again for a few more months.

Spoilers for Canto 7

CW for mentions of suicidal ideation and some death talk

Let's talk about Bari and her role in the world of Projmoon.

I think everyone who experienced LoR before Limbus was in the same camp as me upon the reveal of Bari.

Which is to say:

The chat was not normal.

But now I've had some time to cool off and actually think and Bari's position in her world is honestly kind of fascinating, especially as a take on immortal characters.

Because first and foremost, Bari has to be ancient. In a meta sense, sprites of the Book Hunter, as we knew her back then, date back all the way to Lobcorp. In universe meanwhile, she was already a long time traveller before she met Don Quixote senior and Sancho. She was there when the Associations were being established and competing for popularity. That was, on the low end, several hundred years ago. We don't know how long it took to construct La Manchaland, or how long that operated before everything fell apart and Quixote Senior sealed everyone away for 200 years.

All through this, Bari hasn't aged a day. My guess is that it's possibly thanks to the river of immortality Xichun mentions, or something else found outside the City.

And this is where we hit one of my favourite tropes - immortals passing time.

1. Remember that you will not die

One of the most interesting things to consider in fiction is the question of "What would you do if you were immortal? You'd have infinite time to do anything you desired - to travel, learn, rest. What would you do?"

Very often, humans who undergo this process in stories eventually begin to stagnate. They end up not doing anything, because internal motivation disappears. This is understandable, because, to get a little memento mori for a moment here, death is the biggest motivator we humans have - it's our time limit. You only get X amount of time to enjoy certain things, to achieve certain goals, so that at the tail end of it you'll be able to reminisce and hopefully smile before you expire. Add to it that age itself limits us, be it youth not allowing us independence or old age slowing us down and limiting us with weakness, and you can see how we are driven, at least in theory, to live life fully as long as we can.

To lose that - the constant dread of your body slowly, but surely, progressing towards failure, breaking down little by little, is to rob us of our inherent motivator. It is a very large part of being a human, really. A lot of our lives and cultures circle around this immutable fact that we don't last, and our questions regarding the why and the what comes after. Religion exists to answer most of those questions.

So... what does one do when they lose that, and become immortal without purpose?

They seek another. Or they disappear.

2. Faith (A Ruina tangent)

Before I get to Bari, it's important to examine her debut game, and the one person she interacts with (and believe me I have thoughts about it).

So, Angela. Our most beloved not-human with all the characteristics of humanity except a lifespan, and a perfect example of an immortal trying to pass time.

LoR goes to great lengths to show her desperation going back all the way to Lobcorp. It shows, quite clearly, first her inability to cope with the circumstances Ayin stuck her in, followed by her resignation to fate and a silent wish for the end. I will not mince words, Angela reads to me back then as silently suicidal, in that she's given up on any other solution to her pain but the conclusion of the play. Then, and only then, was she to be allowed to rest. She had no say in when the play would end so she could only hope it eventually would.

She yearned for death. But then, something changed. Netzach points out that indeed, though she wished for the end, she truly wanted to live. To exist, to escape her prison and to finally know this world besides the pain. That desire gave her enough humanity to manifest her own EGO.

All with the purpose of seeking the One Book that'd give her humanity, and, in her eyes, make her finally complete and able to live in happiness.

The most important part of LoR for this analysis is the Floor of Religion, and Hokma's view of faith. Honestly I'd recommend watching through all of these because it's so poignant. Or better yet, watch Hydrojoy's Angela video (the fact they've got so few subscribers with this level of analysis is a crime honestly).

Some lines I want to focus on, though, are these:

Things without purpose shall disappear. People without purpose will similarly expire.

Angela admits to herself that she doesn't know what she's doing. She's simply chasing some sort of meaning - revenge, freedom from her robotic condition, power, knowledge, anything that'll give her fulfilment.

And in the forgiveness route, she finally finds that in companionship of Roland and, I'd like to think, the Librarians.

But if she doesn't forgive, she ends up losing any purpose besides continuous revenge. There is no companionship when the Librarians turn on her for betraying them. There's no use in being human when it doesn't benefit her mission, and frankly just makes it harder because it makes her easier to harm. There's no point leaving the library when outside will not welcome her, it's much safer to stay inside forever.

There is no point to anything. Angela's revenge is hollow, really - Ayin is dead and no amount of sticking it to him will earn a response from a dead guy.

Enter the Book Hunter.

I will be honest in saying I don't fully understand what they both mean, with them speaking in sort of vague terms. It sounds like Bari was employed by Angela to kill other Book Hunters (perhaps in exchange for knowledge?).

What matters to me, though, are the final lines - the recognition of what Angela is and delivering death to the last librarian.

3. The Scholar of Meaning and the Reaper of the Meaningless

As the Limbus wiki points out, Bari is likely named after a Korean funerary goddess who sought both a healing river and a flower of immortality. But this influence strikes me especially in the context of her being an immortal who meets a lot of other (and often younger) immortals.

She's wise to the fact that all things need meaning to exist. They need an ambition, a wish, something to strive for.

So she attempts to give it to them.

This is shown not just explicitly with Quixote senior, but also with Quixote junior after Sancho gives up her memory, itself a form of death Bari guides her to. For 200 years, Bari made sure to visit Don Quixote and leave her letters so that this person who was once a dear friend may dream, may have meaning and a purpose in her immortal life.

Because you need something to drive you in life, be it becoming a legendary fixer, creating a place where Bloodfiends can live in peace with humans, or searching for a flower which grew from the mysterious rivers flowing through your world.

And if you have lost purpose and can no longer find one, if she cannot save you from that void, she will be there to put you out of your misery, for a meaningless eternity is its own sort of hell, and cruelty it perpetuates is nothing but needless.

In her own words - you must pursue your dream, even if it means wagering your life in the chase.

I think Bari's view of the Bloodfiends' illness and what Carmen describes as the disease humanity could be similar if not the same thing. Roland says in Floor of Religion's first episode that the City has no established religion - people focus on their immediate survival, suffering is everpresent, and the more organised religious-seeming groups are cults trying to exploit you.

The City has lost its purpose. People do not dream, or are not allowed to for long because those dreams are swiftly quashed. Carmen offers an out to suffering through becoming so unapologetically yourself you gain the power to enact your will on the world, for better or worse.

Bari seeks, I think, to give the same, but through simple companionship. Not cohersion, not magic, but through the same thing that has given so many people across this franchise meaning - having a friend to be there for you as you look for what drives you. Because to be alone in meaninglessness is the most cruel and difficult thing. I wonder if she knows that from experience...

I really hope we get more of Bari in the future so I can see if my analysis is more fanfiction than truth but with just the bits we have I have to say she's one of my favourite secondary characters in Limbus.

[eyesore-boi]

"Then, all the planets fell to dust,

Lonely departing after us,

Gone, not forgotten,

Long, but forgotten old lore."

Hey gang! So- Um- What the fuck is up with that coffin am i right? Why the hell is it m o v i n g ? :]

But for real whatever the reason why the casket is shaking i cannot wait to see it! ...Next year! ....oh god we gotta wait another year hhhHH-

But with that fear of whatever the Hell is going on 6 ft under, it actually gave me some motivation to make some Unus Annus fanart after like- 4 years! And D A M N i am actually really proud of this one!! The eyes were really fun, was really glad i was able to pull off the wings, i like the pose, and the rendering on this not to toot my own horn but ohohohoo g o d she looks so cooool-

Guess the idea behind this one was Mori/Amy coming down to start digging up the grave with the good ol tactical shovel™ since apparently they might be leaving the coffin soon, if only briefly, so she's simply there to help them out...

But yeah, not much else to say, just pretty happy with this, sorry it's a lil late, but um happy memento mori, and may we all be scared together that we're possibly dealing with unus annus zombies....zombus-

[moontheoretist]

You know what was great about Zofia and Rozalia's romance?

The very fact that Zofia is a hardcore religious woman with obsession about death (her favourite "motivational slogan" is memento mori).

It was hilarious, but also so real to see her anger at Rozalia at first. She felt angry at her, no matter what Rozalia did, and at first some may think that it's due to her aversion to the "city folk", but in truth it was always because Rozalia was beautiful, sensual, smelled nice and was tempting Zofia to do bad, unchristian things. And at first she did try to fight it. Anger was helping with that, but that anger couldn't really last long near Rozalia, the beautiful seductive flower from the city. The subtle breaking of the ice when they danced was enough to give Zofia LIFE. Before that, she was a woman who only thought about death and how they will be all punished and tormented in hell, who tended to lie on the floor in cross position, with no desires of her own apart from wanting to marry her children off, especially her daughter. Rozalia's sudden appearance in Zofia's life was like some spell to lift depression. Zofia turned into someone unrecognizable, someone who looked forward to life, letters shared and new days spent with Rozalia.

Christianity is associated a lot with homophobia, but it didn't stop Zofia from seeking Rozalia. Her faith played a role (in tandem with the societal values and standards set for women) in the suppression of her own desires, but couldn't stop her queer longing for Rozalia.

And it was so nice to not be fed some angsty existential crisis here about "how she - a religious woman, committed a sin" or something. Hell, it almost seemed that their religion was meaningless to their relationship. Rozalia wearing a literal cross on her neck as a necklace even spelled to me that both of them were religious christian women, mothers and wives whose love blossomed regardless of all of that.

As if faith was completely unimportant when it came to love.

And it was not religion that destroyed their romance.

In the end, it was family that stood in their way.

[sansaorgana]

1670 1.05. The Plague

Memento mori. My favourite motivational quote.

[mizzymii]

“Memento Mori”

I COMPLETELY forgot to post this here :0 BUUUUUTTTTTTT

This is the first drawing for my VNC Tarot series that I HOPE I can get the motivation to actually finish it (Q Q)

But, personally, I love how Vanitas came out! The front isn't my FAVORITE but I was struggling to find good fonts so it may get a re-upload once I can find a good font ^^

[elektrischemaidchen]

Lisztober #31: The End of All Things

Chi po dir, com egli arde, è’n picciol foco.

The end is here. One last song. Does anyone actually have any idea how we ended up here, from ‘Zeitmaschine‘ on? No? Neither do we. But it was incredible fun. We laughed, we cried (I cried… a lot), we were sometimes without a plan and then again not...and now we're here, after 31 days… and it hurts to say goodbye, my darlings. It really does. Lisztober was pretty life-defining for 4 weeks. Energy-sapping. Motivating. And extremely beautiful.

55 pages of handwritten pages in my notebook (I always write everything by hand, it's a creative spleen, I'm superstitious), a total of 1:58 hours of music (Oh God!). And that's just the end product. You wouldn't believe how many night-overs we've spent...

And a broken box, a stinky studio (pizza boxes!), hoarseness (‘Sttttirrrb!’), 24 Liszt biographies, lots of coffee, lots of empty wine bottles and more cigarettes than I've ever smoked before (I promised Lacelove that I'd quit in November. Again.) For you, for Franz, for us. What a ride.

The bets are already on that I in particular will now fall into a deep hole of depression. To be honest: probably.

And I'll tell you when this moment will come: Tomorrow at the latest, when I have to stand in front of Franz Liszt's grave in Bayreuth and I'll almost certainly cry. Without a mask.  Franz and I, we have seen so much of each other this month,I won’t need any. And none of you want that on the video, believe me. If anyone is able see all the tension fall away from me, it's him. By the way, if you want me to bring him something from you, say something. I'd be happy to. He'll definitely get a candle and flowers.

What's left to say now? No more songs about Franz's terrible last days. About his funeral. About the Wagners. Just this: ‘Oh, lieb, so lang Du lieben kannst.’ Didn't you realise how tricky we handled the topic on Lisztober #6? That's why:

No Lisztober without Liebestraum No3. We're not peasants (after all). My shitty piano skills are hidden deep within this song. And I think you can even hear our relief and love here. We were exhausted. That‘s what Franz may have wanted too. To remember him as he was. With all his facets. Wild, beautiful, thoughtful, reverent and unique. Memento Mori.  And after 31 days with all the ups and downs, would I still make love to Franz Liszt as my first duty, if I had a time machine? More than ever, by God.

By the way, if anyone is interested in getting one or the other song (or all of them, you freaks! ;)), please write us a message and we'll send you a download link. (Funnily enough, ‘Ode an  den Moon’ is probably the most popular song so far, beyond tumblr...you guys have some weird kinks ;))

Finally, we would like to thank @franzliszt-official again for the great idea and the wonderful topics you brought to life with your post. (As already said, we are happy to show our appreciation! Say something! Or come and visit us! <3 You are now an honorary member of the Maidchen Squad!) This was your idea, your topics and you alone are to blame for the fact that we gladly escalated for you. Are you planning a whole Liszt-year in 2026? We‘ re in. Thank you also @chopinski-official for your kind words and that we were also allowed to give you some thirst as well ;)

Thanks to all the listeners who haven't switched off yet!

Thank you, Lacelove, who, despite her lack of understanding of my Liszt-Thirst, stoically went along with the biggest Maidchen project ever (!) without quitting. And she also finished the album in the meantime. You are the best! I love you!

But we would also like to thank our families, friends and fellow musicians who have stuck with us through all of this. It wasn't always easy for you. (And I vow to my boys that I will only be there for them at Bandcamp...even if I have to write a new press release in ‘Weimar style’ - that's what they call it now ;) - ) Some of our friends even thought Lisztomania was about listeria. Almost. ;)

And to finish off this already very long post:  The sole reason the Maidchen exist at all is to make like-minded people out there happy. To make them laugh. Or to hit the heart. We don't want to become famous or earn money with our music. Our real merit is that you are here with us.

And before I start weeping: Goodnight you princes (and Queens and non-binary Fairies) of Maine, you kings (and Queens and Non-binary Fairies) of New England. Thank you, tumblr! We are Elektrische Maidchen! Good night! (or good morning!) Time for Cognac.

See you tomorrow. In hell. Bayreuth.

Lyrics:

O lieb’, so lang du lieben kannst!/O love, as long as love you can,  O lieb’, so lang du lieben magst!/O love, as long as love you may,  Die Stunde kommt, die Stunde kommt,/The time will come, the time will come,  Wo du an Gräbern stehst und klagst!/When you will stand at the grave and mourn! Und sorge, daß dein Herze glüht/Be sure that your heart burns,  Und Liebe hegt und Liebe trägt,/And holds and keeps love Solang ihm noch ein ander Herz,/As long as another heart beats warmly In Liebe warm entgegenschlägt!/With its love for you Und wer dir seine Brust erschließt,/And if someone bears his soul to you O tu ihm, was du kannst, zulieb’!/Love him back as best you can  Und mach’ ihm jede Stunde froh,/Give his every hour joy,  Und mach ihm keine Stunde trüb!/Let him pass none in sorrow! Und hüte deine Zunge wohl,/And guard your words with care,  Bald ist ein böses Wort gesagt!/Lest harm flow from your lips! O Gott, es war nicht bös gemeint, -/Dear God, I meant no harm,  Der andre aber geht und klagt./But the loved one recoils and mourns.  O lieb’, solang du lieben kannst!/O love, love as long as you can! O lieb’, solang du lieben magst!/O love, love as long as you may! Die Stunde kommt, die Stunde kommt,/The time will come, the time will come, Wo du an Gräbern stehst und klagst!/When you will stand at the grave and mourn. Dann kniest du nieder an der Gruft/You will kneel alongside the grave Und birgst die Augen, trüb und naß,/And your eyes will be sorrowful and moist, – Sie sehn den andern nimmermehr -/– Never will you see the beloved again – Ins lange, feuchte Kirchhofsgras./Only the churchyard’s tall, wet grass. Und sprichst: O schau’ auf mich herab,/You will say: Look at me from below, Der hier an deinem Grabe weint!/I who mourn here alongside your grave! Vergib, daß ich gekränkt dich hab’/Forgive my slights! O Gott, es war nicht bös gemeint!/Dear God, I meant no harm! Er aber sieht und hört dich nicht,/Yet the beloved does not see or hear you, Kommt nicht, daß du ihn froh umfängst;/He lies beyond your comfort; Der Mund, der oft dich küßte, spricht/The lips you kissed so often speak Nie wieder: Ich vergab dir längst!/Not again: I forgave you long ago! Er tat’s, vergab dir lange schon,/Indeed, he did forgive you, Doch manche heiße Träne fiel/But tears he would freely shed, Um dich und um dein herbes Wort -/Over you and on your unthinking word – Doch still – er ruht, er ist am Ziel!/Quiet now! – he rests, he has passed. O lieb’, solang du lieben kannst!/O love, love as long as you can! O lieb’, solang du lieben magst!/O love, love as long as you may! Die Stunde kommt, die Stunde kommt,/The time will come, the time will come, Wo du an Gräbern stehst und klagst!/When you will stand at the grave and mourn. Danke, Franz, wo immer Du jetzt bist.  L’avantage des gens qui vous aiment, c’est qu’ils vous comprennent mieux que vous. Et s’ils ne vous comprennent pas vraiment, au moins ils vous aiment!!!!!!!!!

O lieb’, solang du lieben kannst!/O love, love as long as you can! O lieb’, solang du lieben magst!/O love, love as long as you may! Die Stunde kommt, die Stunde kommt,/The time will come, the time will come, Wo du an Gräbern stehst und klagst!/When you will stand at the grave...

[mrbexwrites]

Writer Questions

@museandquill tagged me Thanks <3 (Even though it has taken me a while to get round to this- it's been in draft purgatory for a while :/)

What is your absolute all-time favorite idea you’ve ever had?

This is a tough one. I think it's the storyline for Memento Mori part III. I'm really fond of Morgana's personal growth, how she allows herself to be vulnerable again, and just the overall murder mystery/conspiracy plot. As I wrote this before I'd written Parts I and II, I have made it harder for myself to link in certain plot points, and I've had to retcon a lot of things, but I'm still proud of how it all came together as a standalone story.

Is there a question you’ve been asked in the past that really stands out to you, and you still think about sometimes?

@sarahlizziewrites once asked me about my OCs idle animations if they were in a video game, and I still think about that from time to time. It really focused me on what my characters' quirks and little habits would be. It's such a good question, that I quickly stole it, and have asked it to other people!

What is your favorite part of being a writer? What parts could you take or leave?

I love having a chance to write down the little stories of the people who just wander into my head. I like to plot out their character arc, and figure out what makes them tick; what drives them, and how they would react when put in certain scenarios. I dream of the day when I write a perfect first draft, that never needs edited. Editing can get in the bin. I hate it. If I ever become a millionaire, I'm paying someone a ridiculous amount of money to edit for me.

What is your greatest motivation to write/create?

I do enjoy that little dopamine hit from someone commenting something nice on a post; but honestly, even if I got no traction, I'd still write. I've been writing without feedback for years (because nothing I wrote ever got shared anywhere or with anyone). I just write. I think it's part of who I am, and even if no one else likes it, or even reads it, I'd probably still write, regardless.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or been given as a writer?

Find the writing advice that works for *you*. There is loads of advice out there, but if it doesn't work for you, or feel tight, then you don't do it. Only *you* can write your story.

What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out writing?

You'll never get a scene from your head perfectly onto the page; stop trying to make everything perfect, and aim for good. The most important thing to do, is to write it down, and then you can polish it. But you can't improve unless you write it down first.

What is your favorite story you’ve written to completion? Link it if you’d like and can!

My favourite completed series (and only completed series <.<) is Memento Mori although only part I has been posted. My favourite story is Blood Covenant, and one that I'm actually proud of. The first draft wasn't too shabby (if I do say so myself) and just needs a little tweak before I'll think about posting it in full!

Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so, and how do you personally feel about their ideals?

Victor, from Memento Mori part II; he is a 'victory at any cost' kind of person, and is pretty ruthless when it comes to achieving his goal. Whilst I don't agree with his methods, I do admire his drive, and his ability to stick to his principles, as well as his unshakable belief that he is right about everything. That's pretty much the only positive thing I can say about him; he's the villain for a reason. He's not someone that I'd want to spend time with, or be friends with. I'd not want to have to work with him because he is so unflinching and uncompromising. He will get the job done, no matter what- he'd sell his own mother to get what he wants, and that gives me the chills. He really has no moral compass, only goals, which are, essentially, to keep himself in power.

If you, when you first started writing, met you now, what would younger you think?

I like to think younger me would be impressed with how far I've come. The fact that I have made so many awesome writblr friends, shared some of my WIPS, allowed them to be read by people for feedback & critiscism... Not to mention just how many words I have written, WIPS I've completed. Younger me would never have thought I'd have made it this far !

Passing the tag onto : @queen-tashie @clearcloudlesssky @mkw-writes (hello new writblr friend) @spideronthesun @scifimagpie and leaving an open tag :)

[theemotionmachine]

50+ Motivational Latin Proverbs to Elevate Your Thinking to New Levels

- Acta non verba ("deeds not words")

- Ad meliora ("towards better things")

- Ad victoriam ("to victory")

- Audere est faucere ("to dare is to do")

- Astra inclinant, sed non obligant ("the stars incline us, they do not bind us")

- Bono malum superate ("good will overcome evil")

- Carpe diem ("seize the day")

- Calamus gladio fortior ("the pen is mightier than the sword")

- Cogito, ergo sum ("I think, therefore I am")

- Cras es noster ("tomorrow, be ours")

- Dictum factum ("what is said is done")

- Duc, sequere, aut de via decede ("lead, follow, or get out of the way")

- Dum spiro, spero ("while I breathe, I hope")

- Ego te provoco ("I challenge you")

- Est modus in rebus ("there is a middle way in all things")

- Faber est suae quisque fortunae ("every man is the artisan of his own fortune")

- Familia supra omnia ("family over everything")

- Fons vitae caritas ("love is the fountain of life")

- Fortiter et fideliter ("bravely and faithfully")

- Gladiator in arena consilium capit ("the gladiator is formulating his plan in the arena")

- Grandescunt aucta labore ("by work, all things increase and grow")

- Humilitas occidit superbiam ("humility kills pride")

- Igne natura renovatur integra ("through fire nature is reborn whole")

- Incepto ne desistam ("may I not shrink from my purpose")

- Magna est vis consuetudinis ("great is the power of habit")

- Memento mori ("remember you must die")

- Memento vivere ("remember you have to live")

- Memores acti prudentes future ("mindful of what has been done, aware of what will be")

- Morior invictus ("death before defeat")

- Non ducor, duco ("I am not led, I lead")

- Omne initium difficile est ("every beginning is difficult")

- Ordo ab chao ("order out of chaos")

- Palma non sine pulvere ("no reward without effort")

- Pax vobiscum ("peace be with you")

- Praesis ut prosis ne ut imperes ("lead in order to serve, not in order to rule")

- Praemonitus, praemunitus ("forewarned is forearmed")

- Primum non nocere ("first do no harm")

- Qui non proficit, deficit ("he who does not advance, goes backward")

- Qui totum vult totum perdit ("he who wants everything loses everything")

- Sapientia potentia est ("wisdom is power")

- Si vis amari, ama ("if you wish to be loved, love")

- Sic parvis magna ("greatness from small beginnings")

- Sic vita est ("such is life")

- Suum cuique ("to each his own")

- Tempus fugit ("time flies")

- Tendit in ardua virtus ("virtue strives for what is difficult")

- Ubi concordia, ibi victoria ("where is unity, there is victory")

- Vacate et scire ("be still and know")

- Veni, vidi, vici ("I came, I saw, I conquered")

- Verba volant, scripta manent ("words fly away, writing remains")

- Vincit qui se vincit ("he conquers who conquers himself")

[infamous-if]

Hi sunshine!!

Hehe I’m gonna pretend I was the first to send an ask to your newly-cleared inbox 🤣 I was just reading your writing advice post about beat sheets and I was wondering if you had any more writing advice? Mainly how you’re able to write so much but also how you’re able to do so in a linear fashion.

I have..absolutely no writing background and my writing process is very instinctual rather than organized. I type with my eyes closed so I can visualize scenes like a movie and I follow a beat sheet consisting of “fuck it we ball”

it’s dope that you have a novel writing background, little me would think you’re like the Viola Davis of literature if she heard that. (23 year old me thinks you’re cool too dw HEHEH)

Anywaysss you know I love your IF and I’m sending you a virtual hug!! 😁

Hi! and lolol I'll pretend you were too hehe

And good question! I think having a novel background does help since I've gotten used to writing a lot. I really respect IF authors who jump into IF with no writing experience because no only do you also have to code and write multiple books (routes) in one, you're also sharing that work to the public almost immediately.

It took me having to post fanfic + indie publishing to grow a thick skin and an understanding against hate and criticism, so people who choose this as their first foray into writing have my immense respect lmao it's not easy!

Mainly how you’re able to write so much but also how you’re able to do so in a linear fashion.

I've said before that I'm able to write a lot because I plan everything before hand. I'm not capable of pantsing and I'm a plotter through and through. When I know the beats to a scene and have a goal, I can just focus on reaching that goal instead of trying to come up with a purpose.

For example, I'm currently working on a novel as well as Infamous, and I just spent like....eight hours today just working on the outline (again). I think I have about 15 different variations of the outline, but I can't write if I don't know what's coming up next. I think I spend more time working on the outline than the book. (For example: One book I spent one year working on the outline and then wrote the book in 3 months lmao).

Anyway, almost every conversation in a book has a purpose, even if it's not obvious. Sometimes it's to express motivation, further the plot, create conflict. Sometimes it's to add depth to characters which usually results in conversations that seemingly have no purpose (like the band talking about whether orion would be a good band member or not) but they do! (its to establish the dynamic and level of closeness + personalities). When I know what I want to tell in a scene and what I want to express, I don't meander as much. So I plan plan plan plan.

But really, if you work best off instinct, I encourage you to go that way. There's no right way, and you don't want to force yourself. Sometimes people write their best when they're figuring it out along the way. I'm not capable of that hahahahah

As for linear, I can NOT jump around as much as I wish. I need CONTEXT like...I love referring back to old conversations and using the older conversations as context to newer ones people who can jump around and write non-linearly are superhuman.

Typing with your eyes closed seems so cool. I do have a cinematic approach to writing as well, but I also only type with three fingers lmao (I never learned how to use all your fingers for typing) so I need to see plshfhsdfhdsj

thank you!! I love your IF as well and your energy! Your posts are so fun to read and Memento Mori is SOO GOOD!