Spiral - Derivakat

It's October, friends! 

Do you know what that means?

It means National Novel Writing Month is less than 30 days away and you're panicking and procrastinating with literally everything else. Start the count down feeding the anxiety. 

It means masks are in season. 

I've worn plenty of masks in my life. I think we all have. A mask has its place. We see the hero run around with a mask to protect their loved ones. We see the villain wear a mask so they don't get caught. Masks are worn to protect something important. Masks are worn to hide something others might deem unsightly. Masks are used in lots of different situations. Many masks are worn for work. Some masks are worn for fun. Some masks are worn out of fear. Some masks are worn out of love. Some masks are obvious. Some masks aren't. 

How long do you have to wear your mask before you forget it's even there? 

It can be a dark spiral, especially on the internet. The more of yourself you reveal, the easier it is to be harmed. This is something we see in normal human interaction, just amplified by a thousand. Here, you can reach millions of people in seconds. And in seconds, the trolls emerge. And guess what trolls are - humans in masks. Be mindful of the mask you wear. Decide how much you need it. Carefully consider when and where and which mask to use. For whatever reasons you wear your mask, don't let it become you. At the end of the day, don't forget to take the mask off. We're all human, aren't we?

(I'm on a Fire Emblem kick. I'm not apologizing for it.)

In other news, the ISC rewrite prep is going... it's going. I dug up a bunch of antiquated documents and drawings and notes so I'll have to share those later. For some reason, writing goes a lot smoother if I pretend I'm writing another deleted scene or fanfic of someone else's canon story. It takes the pressure off if I tell myself it's all fake and can be changed or erased at any time. ... which is technically true. ISC was never about being serious. It starts off silly and goofy and just gets more fantastically elaborate the further you go with the characters constantly trying to one-up the previous act. I think that's the most charming part of it. Can I preserve that? I don't know. One thing I do know: 

Hanna was always the mask.

"A song is reviled if no one should revere it. 

So I want you all, yet none at all to hear it. 

I've come to love a crowd just so much as fear it. 

~

You want perfection? Lost in pursuit of it?

Take my direction, I can lead you to it. 

The audience is not your friend, you just love their applause. 

Cause an honest artist isn't what they want. 

Better off with the mask on. 

So take the mask off."

~ Masquerade - JT Music

Happy hunting haunting.

~ Always Hope ~