tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post5071917345892418532..comments2023-10-23T11:58:25.898-07:00Comments on Creativity or Insanity? Straddling the Line...: Dream the ImprobableKalen O'Donnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02131133469192904315noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-79486816095438572772011-05-03T06:49:57.079-07:002011-05-03T06:49:57.079-07:00Great post Kalen! Phew, you are one busy guy (LOL)...Great post Kalen! Phew, you are one busy guy (LOL). And here I thought I was busy. My life revolves around work (for the court system) by day. I leave early in the morning because I have a long commute. I use my lunch hours as my writing time because after work I have to get kids to and from sports practices/music rehearsals/games etc. <br /><br />My kids are the ones that are into a lot of activities: soccer, football, track, basketball, orchestra, band, choir, news crew etc. Plus they're honor roll students. So I try and squeeze my writing time into lunch hours, work holidays, evenings when the kids go to bed. Plus of course, I belong to a crit group so there's always critiques to handle as well.<br /><br />But you're right, if we want something bad enough we'll make it happen. Sometimes it means less sleep, but hey, it's worth it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-22940312218431952362011-05-02T20:12:12.549-07:002011-05-02T20:12:12.549-07:00You need to get those shirts Sophia suggested. I n...You need to get those shirts Sophia suggested. I need one, too.<br /><br />But yeah, great post, great explanation, and--okay, not gonna lie, I get so fucking annoyed at people when they're all "Waaaa I can't doooo it." Whatever man. I'm not fucking special and I'm SURE I can. So... uh, yeah.<br /><br />Rehab is for quitters.<br /><br />Wait--Kateyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05727622678452936037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-3117681962465597162011-05-02T16:37:55.166-07:002011-05-02T16:37:55.166-07:00Even while whistling dixie! I defy you to prove I ...Even while whistling dixie! I defy you to prove I can't!<br /><br />And yes, Ms. Howard is quite the Pied Piper of Awesome People, isn't she? She knows all the cool kids it seems.Kalen O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02131133469192904315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-66409616532600199912011-05-02T16:36:33.734-07:002011-05-02T16:36:33.734-07:00Damn! I think I'm going to have to follow you ...Damn! I think I'm going to have to follow you to the grocery store, down the street, and maybe to the moon, now--you are just that cool. Happy to meet you through the illustrious Ms. Howard. However, can you slice and dice a rutabaga in mid-air while performing all your other feats? Hey? What do you have to say about that?Jennifer Prescotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14668379038698377139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-22935570312690237512011-05-02T08:43:37.282-07:002011-05-02T08:43:37.282-07:00Hey Carissa! Nice to meet you! Any friend of Ani...Hey Carissa! Nice to meet you! Any friend of Anita's should be mistrusted and watched carefully - I mean is a friend of mine! And yay, kindred spirits! Obsessive overachievers unite!<br /><br />@Sophia - Yeah, who am I kidding? I'd totally wear that. Unironically.Kalen O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02131133469192904315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-21941920321476253402011-05-02T04:45:07.555-07:002011-05-02T04:45:07.555-07:00I kind of want a t-shirt that says HEY BE MORE LIK...I kind of want a t-shirt that says HEY BE MORE LIKE ME RAWR now.<br />- Sophia.Sophiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17926811798176739307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-26026092922349820012011-05-01T19:49:38.446-07:002011-05-01T19:49:38.446-07:00I'm a new follower brought to you by Anita Gra...I'm a new follower brought to you by Anita Grace Howard! <br /><br />That said, I absolutely adore this post! I swear, it's like we share a brain! How awesome to see someone out here with the same awesome drive and determination (and nearly the same schedule) that I have! Your advice and wit was much needed tonight! Thanks for writing it!Carissa Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956041638794014466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-17657135740007491392011-04-30T09:40:27.974-07:002011-04-30T09:40:27.974-07:00LOL noooo, no making anyone else look bad. So not...LOL noooo, no making anyone else look bad. So not the point, haha. But that's the thing. I think a lot of time I look egotistical because when I say certain things it looks like bragging though like I said, I take it for granted, like its normal, and my whole thing is always if I can do it you can do it too!<br /><br />Which in hindsight I realize totally IS egotistical because its like HEY BE MORE LIKE ME RAWR so great, but what do you expect IM AN ACTOR #excusesexcuses.<br /><br />So no, in conclusion, if you think oh hey I want to up my wordcount and write more books or Im sick of getting rejection notices for my query then just like, selectively choose parts of the post to be inspired by, and if not, then just be like hmm, somebody should prick this guy with a pin and let some of the hot air out!<br /><br />BUT BE CAREFUL PRICKING ME, BECAUSE I DO BLEED!<br /><br />/I'lltakebastardizedShakespearequotesfor1000,AlexKalen O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02131133469192904315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-27626484098753928332011-04-30T01:15:22.661-07:002011-04-30T01:15:22.661-07:00'So yes, my average word count per day is anyw...'So yes, my average word count per day is anywhere from 5K to 8K, except on weekends when I can usually get to 10 or 12K.' What the what? Also 'yup, we're all classically trained pianists too'? I know you just told us how you manage to be ridiculously awesome (hard work and routine or some shizz) but dang if you don't make the rest of the world look bad by being so badass.<br /><br />This post made me feel equal parts 'OMG how can I ever compare to this guy and *so envious* he seems to have this life thing sorted' and 'well hell, maybe I should do more'. I'm going to count that as a win for you for being inspiring, or something less corny sounding. <br />- Sophia.Sophiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17926811798176739307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-67630514588956702082011-04-29T19:59:49.343-07:002011-04-29T19:59:49.343-07:00@Taryn - Well you definitely impress the hell out ...@Taryn - Well you definitely impress the hell out of me. After high school I did this whole 'delayed teenage rebellion thing' and screwed up my life for a couple years, took awhile to get on track, so the fact that you have it so together impresses me more than all your other stats combined. You'll 'make it' sooner rather than later, that's for sure. So hopefully that does mean we're cut from the same cloth, haha. And yeah, I noticed that about your MS. LOL, I'm used to a lot of variations of my name but no perfect matches.Kalen O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02131133469192904315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-43052473295107917032011-04-29T19:43:10.635-07:002011-04-29T19:43:10.635-07:00There's so much I want to say here. First off,...There's so much I want to say here. First off, I have to completely agree with the first half of this. In high school, I swam as much as 30 hours a week every week all year, lifted weights 7 hrs/week, and either went for an extensive bike ride (~50 miles) or hike (~10 miles) each weekend. I held the state high school bench press record for girls, set Washington state swimming recors, was named to the All-American team, and won zone championships.<br /><br />I did this while maintaining an easy 3.8 in all honors classes, being editor of the yearbook, writing for the school newspaper, and finishing 2 manuscripts per grade. My senior year I even had a job.<br /><br />People would ask me how I did it, and my main answer was not wasting time. In my generation especially, people treat high school as something to get through, not something through which to thrive.<br /><br />Though I must say, I had to have 7 hours of sleep, which meant I slept 9:30-4:30. I blame the whole "still growing" thing :)<br /><br />I also completely agree that it doesn't matter if your MS is selling--write it. Learn from it. I wrote absolute crap a couple years ago, but over time, I've evolved into a writer who can do good 5K days for weeks at a tim.<br /><br />Maybe we're made of the same cloth, Kalen.<br /><br />*Also, it throws me off b/c your name is basically my MCs. (Kalyn)Tarynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01014463110385943857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-77098285147441948582011-04-29T17:58:11.506-07:002011-04-29T17:58:11.506-07:00Hah! I love that we both somehow just commented o...Hah! I love that we both somehow just commented on each other's posts at the same damn time.<br /><br />And I apologize for any accidental impressing I might have done. It is not my intention and I am always bemused by it when it happens. I'll do my best to be more underwhelming in the future. ;)<br /><br />You wouldn't be the first to accuse me of being another species, hah, but yes, all kidding aside, thank you, and glad I could help kick your butt on that WIP. Whatever gets Anita-books in my grubby little hands quickest...Kalen O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02131133469192904315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8888458418905431254.post-68611774270382676482011-04-29T17:54:41.672-07:002011-04-29T17:54:41.672-07:00Speaking of losing all credibility (yes, I totally...Speaking of losing all credibility (yes, I totally saw what you tweeted earlier, and I'll SO get you for that come Monday--HEH), you just shot my image of you as a #winning "warlock on speed" straight to the underworld of fire and gnashing teeth.<br /><br />And to make matters worse, you had to go impress the HECK out of me. So, thanks. Thanks for answering my question with such prolific alacarity and leading me once again to the same inescapable conclusion that:<br /><br />YOU are the rockstar, and a species separate and above those of us who require 7 to 8 hours of sleep to function above the level of zombie.<br /><br />All kidding aside ... great post. :) Very inspiring, and makes me want to get back to writing on my WIP. So a genuine thank you for that. :)Anita Grace Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01797870961916148616noreply@blogger.com