Antara Man Guest Post

Where does your writing inspiration come from?

Form me, the inspirational moment is like a flash of creative impulse. For a few seconds, I see the story unrolling in front of my eyes like scenes in a movie. It grabs all my attention and my mind is focused.

A long time ago , I overheard someone ask my Guru: "Are artists yogis?"

He answered that artists must have been yogis in their previous lives, because the ideas they receive come to them as revelations. He added that though it's not always the case, quite often this is how the works of many great artists were revealed to them.

The novella The Wishing Coin came alive in a similar way. It was early in the morning and I was heading to work. Looking out the bus window, I saw a female TV reporter and two cameramen waiting to begin a live broadcast. The TV reporter was discussing something with the cameramen.

The revelation hit me: "I will write a short story about a TV reporter. She will work at Good Morning America and will struggle to find more screen time."

As the day went on, I came up with more: She'll fail to be promoted to have her own TV show, and her ex would start dating the TV rival who stole her slot. I started with the first tragedy, like in the famous three-act tragedy structure. I didn't have the whole story outlined yet, but I had something better — the energy that would let me to write and finish the story.

Long ago, I realized that whatever happens in our lives is because of the energy. If you are a good athlete, it is because you have that energy; if you are a good musician, again it's because of the energy. Anything, be it good or bad, manifests in the energy in each one of us. And that energy is very creative.

Later that night I came up with more scenes. The TV reporter would meet a strange vendor who sells wishing coins on the street. The protagonist will buy the most powerful one, the one that fulfills all wishes no matter what they are. My idea was to present three different pictures: in the first, the protagonist is unhappy; in the second, she has everything she wishes for — the dream job, the wonderful boyfriend; and in the last, her desire for control and power corrupts her. The character's wishes have a harmful effect on the people around her and she regrets that she bought the coin.

This experience just describes the inspiration behind one of my stories; sometimes I contemplate on a theme - for example time travel and the choices we make in our lives and their consequences or the battle between the light and the dark side. This was how Back To TheViper and The Witch's Kiss were born. Other times the creative inspiration comes when I struggle with an issue (be it internal and external) and through art and writing in particular, I try to come to terms with it. This was how my upcoming novel Alice in Sinland  - a Story or Murder, Greed, Corruption, Exploitation, Adultery and Treasure was born.