Coincidence or Inspiration?

July 5, 2014

I read time and time again how authors just write and often are surprised at what comes out. This has been my experience so far. Having just completed my second novel I am surprised at the seeming coincidences which have appeared in the story.

Keeping in mind that book 2 is a continuation of the story in book 1, my choice of name for the female character, Susanne, introduced in book 1, "Pursuit", turns out to have a unique similarity to a Persian name which also describes her appearance and her character quite well, and this Persian name appears in the story of book 2 while Susanne resides in Turkey. Coincidence or inspiration?

Coincidence or synchronicity is something which I integrate into my stories, where people have seemingly chance meetings and acquaintances are made which turn out to be so beneficial it seems almost planned. Now you might say, "Of course it's planned. You the author, you made it so." But even these coincidences are not planned. And when a name I choose as a character turns out to have a more significant meaning than I had intended that is something I definitely did not plan.

So is it inspiration? This is something you'll hear me talk about often, mainly because it is something I see more than often happen all the time in real life. Coincidences are not planned, perhaps, but they are inspired. Which is why we use the term "synchronicity". It implies something getting into sync with something else. It is when two or more things come together to create an outcome which appears to be no accident, or it just had to happen that way. You know what I am talking about, you have experienced this yourself.

The thing which brings these seemingly chance events together is what brings me my inspiring ideas - Inside Knowledge. You will have to read my Pursuit series to understand where that term comes from. What I mean is this, our every thought is not our own, that is they come from another source, from outside of our physical selves, or rather from Inside, the inner, deep knowing which is a part of the real you and me residing on  some ethereal plane of existence outside of time and space. Some call it spiritual, or Divine, God or the sSouzanoul. In my books I just call it the Inside. And it is this inner connection I believe is the source of our ideas and inspirations.

So Susanna my female character turns out to have a name very similar to the Persian name for burning fire which accurately depicts her character. More of that story can be found in Pursuit book 2.

What do you think? Do coincidences just happen or is the more behind them? Do you believe writer's like myself get their inspiration from an Inner Source? Please share your thoughts below.

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Jim Murdoch's books on Goodreads
Pursuit Pursuit (Dragons and Visions, #1)
reviews: 14
ratings: 26 (avg rating 4.19)

Wings of Change Wings of Change
reviews: 2
ratings: 7 (avg rating 4.57)

Dragon Song Dragon Song (Dragons and Visions, #2)
reviews: 5
ratings: 7 (avg rating 4.43)

Yuletide Tales A Festive Collective Yuletide Tales A Festive Collective
reviews: 13
ratings: 43 (avg rating 4.23)

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