Ainy Cormac

 I can’t express enough how much I adore Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s approach to writing. I've been considering doing a few posts about these two and how Their work has helped me. Their books Writing into the Dark and The Pursuit of Perfection have been absolutely liberating for me. Writing into the Dark transformed the way I approach my writing process. The idea of discovery writing—allowing the story to unfold as I go, without obsessing over an outline—has freed me from the pressure of having everything figured out before I even begin. It’s about trusting the process and embracing the unknown, which makes writing feel more organic and exciting. Then there’s The Pursuit of Perfection . It’s a reminder that the quest for perfection can actually hold us back. Instead of endlessly polishing and trying to make everything “perfect,” the book emphasizes the importance of finishing and sharing our work with the world. That resonates deeply with me because I’ve s...

 So, the edits for my dark fantasy book are underway. Slowly. It's mostly about filling in the gaps—those awkward moments in the story where things felt incomplete or rushed. It's not glamorous work, but someone has to do it. The characters? Well, they're getting more complicated, which is what I suppose I should expect at this stage. Some of them are turning out to be more morally ambiguous than I originally planned. Others are just... frustrating. But that's the fun of writing, right? Watching them take on lives of their own, whether I like it or not. And, of course, the action scenes are getting expanded. They're a bit messier, but at least they’re holding together better now. Not that I’m going overboard, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that there’s more blood and chaos in the story than I initially intended. The banter between the characters is improving too—though, I wouldn’t call it witty. It’s more like a necessary distraction from all the grimness. Anyw...

  So a bit of a goal this year, decided this week actually, is to listen to the entire Melvins back catalogue. Why the Melvins? Don't know. They seem like good guys and their music is diverse. They're at the same time hugely influential in drone, grunge and sludge music, while extremely underrated and rarely mentioned. A lot of people say they like the Melvins, can maybe even mention an album (usually just Houdini), but I don't think I've ever met anyone who knows the band on the same level as other bands are understood. One thing I will say about their sound is this: I love how it sounds. It sounds like a band playing music they love, not a factory pumping out algorithmically perfect music. There are flaws and scars and squeals and gaps and fuck I love it. I also love the sheer lack of solos in the first few records I've heard. There is a severe focus on riffage and drums. None of this aggrandising virtuosic guitar playing and moments where someone is held above th...