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haleyincarnate · 4 months

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In every ending there is a beginning I am willing to chase. In every beginning there is the fear of it all coming to an end.

Give yourself the time to mourn what was and then allow yourself to feel the bliss of starting anew.

#hmh #mine #quote art #art therapy #life lessons #beginnings #endings #grief #change #acceptance #relationship #loss #mental health #recovery

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syllvane · 1 year

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beginnings- nikolai lantsov x reader

In another life, you might have found him handsome.

You might have been attracted to his golden hair and the arrogance that he carried with him, but it was hard to be attracted to him when your hands were locked and he had the key.

Besides, you don’t have room in your life for romantic machinations

“You know, I think what’s been throwing me off is that you’re too pretty to be a criminal.” He said towards you and Jesper and Kaz fell silent.

Oh you were never going to hear the end of this.

“We should see how pretty you think I am when I break your fingers.” You retorted, slowly and silently working on the lock mechanism.

“Promise?” He replied almost instantly and your fingers stopped working for a second, stumbling at his response. “Oh, that reminds me, Alina Starkov. She-”

You tuned him out as you undid the rest of your restraints, starting to plot your escape from here.

The window was likely your best and only option, with guards conversing outside of the door behind you three, and the Sturmhond blocking the door in front.

The pirate caught your attention once again by producing more Kruge than you had ever seen at once in his hand, setting it down on the table.

“Twenty seconds,” he nodded to Kaz, turning to leave before looking at you, catching your eye one last time. “You could always join my crew. Always looking for new talent.”

“Go to hell.” You shot back and a wide smile appeared on his face.

“Worth a shot.” He said while walking through the pair of double doors.

Both you and Kaz shot out of your seats, Kaz walking towards the Kruge and you towards the window, which luckily had a landing empty of guards.

“I can’t believe he was flirting with you. A little help?” Jesper said, half-annoyed and Kaz tossed a coin towards him. You rolled your eyes.

“What am I supposed to… when did you know? That I’m a Durast?” Jesper asked, his voice growing soft as he transformed the coin into a lock pick with nothing but his hands.

“In the train, when we were crossing the Fold, in the train. And besides, when you shoot, you never miss and no one is that good.”

“I don’t-”

“Neither of us are gonna out you, Jes.” You said, half-focused on the guards trying to break through the door.

“I appreciate it, but I’m more interested in hearing that from him.”

You turned to Kaz. His eyes never left Jesper.

“I’m not going to out you.”

Jesper gave Kaz a single nod, the handcuffs falling to his feet.

“Let’s go.” You said, one leg already out the window.

#beginnings #six of crows x reader #shadow and bone x reader #shadow and bone imagine #shadow and bone #six of crows imagines #six of crows imagine #six of crows #nikolai lantsov #nikolai x reader #nikolai lanstov x reader #sturmhond #sturmhond x reader

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listentothestories · 5 months

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The beginning is always today.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

#new years #2024 #beginnings #quote

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aangarchy · 10 months

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As much as a critisize the legend of korra (esp the first two seasons) i must say, Beginnings part 1 & 2 are the absolute best two episodes released in the entire Avatar series. The animation, the lore, the MUSIC. Everytime i watch these two episodes i get emotional. It's just so magical. "Haven't you heard the legends? I'm not a regular human anymore!" Fuck it UP steven yeun!!

#'we are now bonded forever' fucking CHILLS #avatar #atla #the legend of korra #avatar the legend of korra #avatar korra #korra #avatar wan #wan #steven yeun #avatar lore #avatar universe #beginnings

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admireforever · 8 months

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Endings, Beginnings

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alwayssacred · 5 months

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#louisville #kysciencecenter #death #stillplaying #with #water #sunnysay #sunnyday

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philosophybits · 1 year

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The beginnings of all things are small.

Cicero, De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum

#philosophy #quotes #Cicero #De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum #beginnings #progress #growth

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jt1674 · 14 days

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#cta #chicago transit authority #chicago #beginnings #robert lamm

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vandaliatraveler · 6 months

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"There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passion of life."

Federico Fellini

#appalachia #vandalia #west virginia #fall #toms run preserve #endings #beginnings #life

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in-tenebris-et-in-solitudine · 7 months

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#selfreflection #mindfulness #presence #gratitude #motivation #growth #journey #potential #beginnings #opportunities

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physalian · 17 days

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“Endings are the hardest!” / “No, beginnings are the worst!”

I’ve never had a problem figuring out the way I want my stories to end but starting them? Yeash, that’s so much pressure. Both carry the same weight for different reasons while you have writers in both camps with legitimate arguments. One may be harder than the other on a writer-by-writer basis, but they are equally daunting.

—

So. Beginnings:

You have sometimes as little as three sentences to hook readers, at most the first chapter. I don’t even give fanfic more than the opening line sometimes (mostly because fanfic takes opening en media res to wild new heights). I’ve been working on a system of “I have one sentence to give you the setting, the protagonist, and the hook that makes this book different, go” and while it might not be perfect, it’s a starting point.

For example! The opening sentence to ENNS is:

Beneath the snowdrift of the longest blizzard Elias has ever endured, the last vampire in the dungeons has finally succeeded in taking their own life.

As someone who struggles with beginnings, I have given you five pieces of information in 25 words:

The setting, that concerns long and repeat blizzards and snow

Protagonist’s name

Establishing the existence of vampires

Establishing that those vampires are kept in dungeons

Establishing that those presumed prisoners are in such bad conditions, that they’re restoring to suicide, something vampires don’t tend to do

I think I did a pretty good job.

So much of the burden of your book is given to so few words. You can’t make it cliché, but try too hard to be unique and you risk looking pretentious. You have to establish the setting, the narrator, the initial setup and inciting incident and convince readers to pick your book out of hundreds of thousands of other options. I hate beginnings.

Best advice among an avalanche of others? Write a placeholder and come back later if it’s too daunting and frustrating because there is no writing advice that is one size fits all.

It’s entirely dependent on your genre, your demographic, the age of your protagonist and how self-aware they are, the tone of your story, your own personal writing style.

“First sentences should include THIS!”

Yeah, okay, but what if I have a better idea? Beyond that your sentence should have a hook that sets your book up as something apart from its genre neighbors, just go look at the most famous opening lines. They’re all different.

There is nothing in common between

Call me Ishmael.

and

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

And that’s the point.

—

Endings though?

Endings bear the burden of providing catharsis, or robbing you of it. Endings have to answer ‘but what does it all mean?’ and stick the landing, or they don’t. Endings can turn a TV show that took the world by storm for four magnificent seasons and drag it limping across the finish line in a finale that sucks the life out of the fandom forever.

Endings either leave you in an existential lurch staring at the ceiling, or in tears of joy or anguish, or frothing at the mouth at yet another cliffhanger. If you can’t answer ‘what does it all mean’ you have bigger problems than just your final lines.

People don’t have fan theories about your first page, they have fan theories about what comes after your last page. There are no rules to writing an ending and sometimes by its nature of being unfulfilling you become infamous.

Example: The ending of Mark of Athena, that prompted this dedication in its sequel House of Hades.

“We’re staying together,” he promised. “You’re not getting away from me. Never again.” Only then did she understand what would happen. A one-way trip. A very hard fall. “As long as we’re together,” she said. She heard Nico and Hazel still screaming for help. She saw the sunlight far, far above—maybe the last sunlight she would ever see. Then Percy let go of his tiny ledge, and together, holding hands, he and Annabeth fell into the endless darkness.

(one short Leo POV later)

Nemesis wanted him to wreak vengeance on Gaea? Leo would be happy to oblige. He was going to make Gaea sorry she had ever messed with Leo Valdez. “Yeah.” He took one last look at the cityscape of Rome, turning bloodred in the sunset. “Festus, raise the sails. We’ve got some friends to save.”

If you weren’t in this fandom when this book came out and ended with the protagonist falling into Greek Super Hell, to wait a whole year to find out what happens next—We lost our collective minds.

And then the next book opened like this:

Gettin’ a bit big for your britches there, ey, Riordan?

How you write your ending should reflect the kind of feeling you want to leave your reader with. In this case, it was anguish and despair and the pinnacle of “always leave them wanting more”. Maybe you’ve written a character who’s suffered constant setbacks to reaching their goal, and the final line is them at peace with, or without achieving it. Or it’s the final plot twist/reveal no one saw coming. Or it’s ambiguous, leaving it up to reader interpretation.

My favorite classical book ending comes from The Great Gatsby and while I had to crack open my copies of the PJO books, I know this line by heart:

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

There’s just something so melancholy and tragic about it, as it should be: Gatsby is not a happy story. That line is the answer to the thesis, that trying to live in the past and not embrace the future, not allowing yourself to move on, can only end in tragedy, and yet, so many of us do exactly that.

The image of a dinky little rowboat is always what I’ve pictured, as opposed to a ship or something more formidable. A rowboat bobbing around the thrashing waves, pitted against a force of nature it can’t ever hope to overcome, yet it endures.

The book opens on an equally melancholy note, “In my younger years…” as the protagonist reflects back on their life gone by. It’s an American classic for a reason.

Even if your final line is unspectacular, the line isn’t as important as how the narrator feels about the book being over. Quotable hashtags are great, but if the ending doesn’t feel like a proper fit, you’re going to leave readers disappointed.

—

Endings are so fricken fun though, no matter what’s at stake. It’s as cathartic for me to finish as I hope it is for the reader to read. There’s plenty of advice out there on the perfect opener or the perfect closer, the endless arguments over which is harder, and it’s all up to you in the end. They just come easy to me, I have no advice. I can picture them well before I get to the final pages and they just click into place. Beginnings, though? Ugh.

—

Thank you for 300 Followers!!!

#writing advice #writing resources #writing tips #writing tools #writing a book #writing #writeblr #beginnings #endings #starting a book

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dragonmama76 · 9 months

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Comments on Beginnings

Part One Interlude Part Two Part Three coming soon and also on ao3

So I’m going to address this because even though the commenter here is super rude by the end (Like, guys, I’m bowled over that people are even reading my fic and comments fuel me and I'm into your opinions so don’t be a dick, right?) this is a common theme people are commenting about.

Anyway.

Robin, Robin, Robin. Girl. First up, all the older teens are getting a chance for growth in this fic so don’t worry her chance is coming. But also, it’s 1985 and she’s what 17 maybe 18? And like two months before Steve tells her his tragic backstory she DID NOT LIKE him. He’s created a character of King Steve who was NOT likable. Yes, we know why and yes, it’s super horrible. But Robin bought into it. She thinks he's REFORMED but that doesn't mean he didn't do bad shit before. She absolutely knows what he did to Jonathan because it was all over school. She knows he's not like that NOW but it's not off base to assume he could have done something similar to Eddie in the past.

By the time Eddie is stalking Steve, she wants to believe it's a big coincidence, that at the age of 19 Eddie has matured enough that he's moved past whatever shit he pulled before. By Steve's own admission the worst thing Eddie has done is smile and wave in the grocery store. She's operating on the age old premise that the best way to to deal with a bully is to not feed him. Don't give him the attention he wants. Trust me, as a resident old person, this is exactly how we were taught to deal with bullies. Do we often know better in 2023? Yup. But this isn't a modern au and adults don't care. Boys will be boys. Survival of the fittest etc.

In closing, I hope you will all continue on this journey with me so everyone can get their redemption arc. I truly value your thoughts and opinions (even added some stuff inspired by comments on the previous installments) and y'all are making my day with your heart and reblogs and comments. Thank you for not sucking.

#Beginnings #steddie #i love robin buckley #they are ALL idiots #maybe not Steve #please be nice?

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syllvane · 1 year

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beginnings pt 2- nikolai lantsov x reader

You don’t get the luxury of figuring out that it’s an ambush until after you’ve been clocked in the head with a rifle, too focused on scope of your rifle to hear the footsteps coming up behind you.

When you wake up, it’s to the impact of your body being dropped out far in the harbor, too far out for anyone from the shore to hear you scream and cinderblocks tied to your legs to drown you.

“Kaz!” You screamed, your voice hoarse. “Jes!”

No response, no sound other than your own struggling in the water.

A tide pulled you under and submerged you, pulling you further away from the shore, the city of Ketterdam becoming mere lights in the distance.

You swam up desperately, panting from the effort and lack of air.

You couldn’t survive like this for much longer.

You submerged yourself again and only as you instantly descended 10 feet as you gave up resistance did you realize that you had signed your death warrant.

There was no more going up for air.

And so, you sink.

No mourners, no funerals.

When you wake up, it feels like a horse has kicked you in the chest and your throat burns when you breathe.

You open your eyes to see three sets of unfamiliar faces looking at you and so, you use all of the little energy you have to fight, knocking the person on the left off-balance, though you’d attribute that more to surprise than the actual skill demonstrated in the swipe.

You manage to stand up- not without feeling nauseous, but at least you’re standing - as you move to engage with the other two.

“I had a feeling you would wake up and immediately start throwing punches.” A familiar voice said and your head whipped to the front of the ship to see none other than Sturmhond at the helm.

Of course.

“How did you-”

“You can thank the twins and Toma, our tidemaker. They’re the ones who sensed you out there and brought you in.”

You looked at the two people standing directly in front of you, who you now had the perception to see that they were clearly related.

You opened your mouth to speak and when no words came, you simply gave them a deep nod.

The woman returned it and the man, taller than her, gave you a smile.

“I’m not going to stop you from thanking me though as well.” Sturmhond said and you shot a glare at him.

“And what should I thank you for? Did you lift my body out of the water with your own two hands?” You asked and he shook his head, shrugging.

“I mean, you are on my boat, and I wasn’t planning on charging you for saving your life or passage. Perks of me liking you.”

You ignored the last part of that statement, ignored how warm your cheeks felt and how your heart sped up.

Out of the corner of your eye, you could see the woman stifle a smile.

“I need to go back to Ketterdam.”

“We’re already a day away from Ketterdam, and we’re on a tight schedule to find the Sea Whip. I’m sorry.” Sturmhond said and you shook your head, looking around for any sign that he was joking or lying.

You felt a strong hand on your shoulder and you looked to your side to see the woman.

“He’s not lying, I’m sorry.”

tags: @a-disturbing-self-reflection

#beginnings #nikolai lanstov x reader #nikolai x reader #nikolai lantsov #sturmhond x reader #shadow and bone x reader #shadow and bone imagine #shadow and bone #six of crows imagines #six of crows imagine #six of crows x reader #six of crows

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slavicafire · 2 months

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hi! thanks so much for all the resources you share here. i'm starting to reconnect with my culture and your blog has been so nice for finding info about slavic folklore! i have a question, and i know it can be personal so it's okay if u don't wanna answer, but what are some practical things you do with slavic spirits&deities? do you journal, meditate, or make spells and charms and use candles more? that type of stuff 😊 cause i am not sure where to really start

there are two important things to know as we get into this. one: what I do vastly depends on who it is I'm dealing with - and what I want. it'll be different depending on the deity or spirit, and it will be different whether the act is one of gratitude, devotion, recognition or demand - and it is something you will probably organically come into in your own practice, too. two: while what I do in my practice is most definitely not a good starting point (for many reasons), the underlying drive of it is something I share happily and openly. and that is the thrill.

this isn't science, one absolute truth, a neat list of prettily categorised ingredients and methods and associations and meanings and recipes that have an inherent and irrefutable worth and are more true or relevant than what any other person does or believes in. the main framework should be seeking, understanding, and experiencing the thrill - do what feels good, do what excites you, do what you feel expands you as a person. for some that's reading books and solving sudoku, and for others it's spiritual endeavours. it is art, and craft, and hope - and thrill. no absolutes and no clean truths.

but! there's still plenty to talk about in terms for practical tips to begin, of course: I would definitely start with recognising exactly what sort of act it is that you want to engage in - ask yourself what you want out of it, how do you want to feel, what do you want to say through it - and plan the activities in line with that, combined with understanding of who it is that you want to offer this act to. purpose is crucial - even if it very basic, like simply the need to express yourself, to ask for help, or just not feel alone. doing things just to do them will quickly drain your inspiration and start feeling silly, so always find the exact purpose why you're doing something, no matter how simple or small that purpose might be.

purpose will help you identify the tools, too: a demand or thanks require an offering, one of material or time or feeling. recognition and gratitude will require connection or meditation or action. if your act is multipurpose, so should be the means through which you go about it - a ritual can have many tools and many layers, and be as complex as you fancy in the given moment.

think of the other end of this act - the spirit, deity, ancestor, any sort of being in whichever way you see it or understand it - and think what sort of tools, actions, and outcomes they would want to see. bluntly - and sweetly blasphemously - put yourself in the place of the god you pray to or the spirit you seek. if you were in their place, what would you want to see? what would you want to hear, or be promised, or be given? what would be meaningful?

when I want to show my devotion to Death Mother, let us say, I go to a graveyard: I read the necrologies at the gate to honour the recently departed buried there, with their names and ages and sons and daughters; I walk the length of the place to have time for contemplation, and I clean a forgotten grave or pick up trash lying around; when I want to thank her, I make an offering - of food or blood or time or emotion. there's rarely incense and sage or crystals charging in the light of the moon - because these are not tools that bring me thrill, nor do I find the act of using them fulfilling. I seek to understand my purpose and challenge myself with finding the thrill and expanding myself in the most satisfying way I can afford at the given moment.

so those acts will have to be varied - and personal, intimate, ever-changing, ever-challenging - and the thrill is in the journey and the experience, much less the outcome or some absolute truth. build your own calendar of celebrations and rituals, your own framework of beliefs, your own offerings and spells and songs. you have all the time in the world - take joy and pleasure in discovering what you find truly thrilling in your practice.

and best of luck.

#beginnings #<- which is also a useful tag of mine to go through if you haven't had the chance to do so yet

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slowandsweet · 5 months

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So, I close my eyes to old ends, and open my heart to new beginnings.

#psychoanalysis #psychotherapy #clinical psychology #beginnings #connection #nature #awakening #body mind soul #open your heart #ends #inner peace

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admireforever · 7 months

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Shailene Woodley, Endings, Beginnings

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