Every writer knows the peculiar experience of being gripped by inspiration. These are moments when thoughts arrive uninvited, taking shape in the mind like whispers from an unknown realm. In these moments, the author is no longer just thinking; they are receiving. Ideas spin and swirl, seemingly departing, only to return with renewed force, much like boomerangs thrown into the vastness of the subconscious.
The creative process is not a linear path. A writer may begin with a vague idea, only to discard it, thinking it unworthy or incomplete. But inspiration, once stirred, does not fade so easily. Thoughts return, often refined by time, enriched by unseen forces within the mind. The discarded ideas circle back like boomerangs, striking with fresh urgency, compelling the author to listen.
This is the true power of creativity, it is not just invention but discovery. The best ideas are not always planned; they emerge in moments of total unawareness when the conscious mind is no longer straining. A writer lost in the rhythm of writing is often unaware of the silent hand guiding them, arranging thoughts, weaving sentences, and directing the flow of words.
There is an inexplicable zone where time dissolves, and the writer becomes an instrument for something greater than themselves. It is in this state of unawareness or a creative trance that the best work is produced. Here, the mind is free from overthinking and self-doubt. It becomes a channel through which creativity flows unhindered.
The return of boomeranging ideas or inspiration is not something external but a force that resides within. The act of writing merely uncovers what is already waiting to be expressed. And the more an author surrenders to this process, the more effortless and profound their creation becomes.
To be a writer is to welcome these returning thoughts, to recognize that what comes back does so for a reason. Each circling idea carries wisdom, waiting for the right moment to land. The task of an author is not to force creativity but to be receptive; to throw the boomerang of inspiration with faith that it will return, enriched and ready to take form on the page.
So, the next time an idea leaves you, let it go. If it’s meant to be, it will return sharper, clearer, and more powerful than before.
As I reflect on this romance with inspiration, I am reminded of my own experience while writing “Good Bye, Mr Patel”, my first book published in 2009, about my fragmentary story of self-discovery and a quest for flawless vision. In those moments of deep creative flow, I found myself gripped by an esoteric force of thoughts and ideas swirling in my mind like boomerangs, returning with ever-deepening insights. It was as though I was merely the instrument, allowing the unseen to shape itself into words. This phenomenon, which every writer experiences in their own unique way, is a testament to the boundless potential of the mind when it surrenders to inspiration.
Anil Kumar
Langshott Leadership Foundation