Find Your Writer Mojo

Writing is hard.  Sometimes I flat out don’t want to do it.  I toss my head and arms around and stamp my feet on the carpet and whine.  I just don’t want to write.  On days when writing seems impossible, it helps to fall back on basic routines and tools to help get me back in the creative mood.

First: Prayer

Often I forget this step.  I hit up the keyboard and blast away with the words.  Until my well runs dry and I’m pulling out my hair trying to remember why I chose this profession in the first place.  Prayer resets my mind.  It realigns me and gets me back in communication with the Author of Life.  Why do I ever believe the words come from me, alone?  Without the Lord’s inspiration and sustenance, I’d be nothing.  When I forgo checking in with Him it isn’t any wonder that I have nothing to give.

Second: Coffee Up

Whether you’re a coffee nut, like me, or a tea lover, bypass the normal every morning hot drink and opt for a specialty blend.  I grind up my favorite beans and dust off my french press for days when the words won’t come.  I treat myself to my favorite cup and saucer, my favorite creamer, a dollop of whipped cream and either a dash of cinnamon or a toss of sprinkles. This reminds me writing is a gift.  First for me and then for my readers.  It should be savored, like my favorite brew, and not chugged.

Third: Get your Supplies

When writing at my laptop I’m always in the company of a legal pad or two, my basic story outline, pens, markers, pencils, and post its.  I never have enough post its. (Or Sharpies but that’s another post for another day).  Having the things I need very close by, stops me from getting the wanders.  (The Wanders:  1.) where you come out of your working phase to hunt down a supply and then forget what you were doing. 2.) The phenomenon that occurs when you set out with good intention to complete a simple mission only to be hit with the wonders. As in:  I wonder what’s for dinner.  I wonder if I ever restarted the dryer.  I wonder if there’s anything new on Netflix. )

Fourth: Set the Stage

This part differs vastly from writer to writer and sometimes project to project.  For my mysteries in Honey Pot, I light a cinnamon pumpkin candle,  set up my bee placard for inspiration, slide my bee ring onto my right index finger and set up my favorite YouTube white noise channel.  For Sci-Fi: different candle, different placard, and different ring but the same procedure.  For Non-fiction and Blog Posts:  I’m good with plain coffee and praise music.  (Maybe that’s why my posts meander. Hmm?)

Finally:  I alert my family and set my timer

I have to let my family know I’m beginning a writing session.  I include details such as how long I’ll be writing during a sprint and how long of a break I’ll take until my next sprint.  I do have this horrible habit of growing too absorbed in my imaginary worlds. So much that in “REAL LIFE”  I can’t hear my children talking to me.  I remind them that even though I’m working I’m still here for them but that it takes me a minute to switch from my project to theirs.  I also encourage them to gently rest a hand on my shoulder if I don’t respond when called.  It’s not that I don’t love them, it’s that I cannot hear them above the voices in my head.  (If you write you know what I mean.)   This is how I get my writer mojo going.  Especially on days when the writing is painful and labored.  It gets my mind and body in sync. Like with any habit, it’s the starting that is the hardest part.  With this small routine, my brain settles in faster to work and stays focused longer. How do you get your writer mojo going?