I Lost My Writing Mojo
Blogging August 8th, 2010
I have lost my writing mojo. I checked the couch cushions, the garage, under my car seats and in that desk drawer that always sticks. It mustn’t be here.
If anyone finds it, please send me an email and I’ll come pick it up. Or, if you live too far, I’ll pay for postage. It does not have to go in a bubble wrap lined envelope, but it does have to be a large envelope. Say, 12″ by 15.5″.
Oh, and if you see it, be nice to it on approach. Use a calm voice so it doesn’t escape. Maybe offer it some bacon. It responds to “Mojo,” “Chops,” or when it’s feeling down, “Serviceable Writing Ability.”
This is the kind of post you’ll get until it’s found. So please search everywhere. Start with your junk drawers. It’s possible my mojo went in search of others because nothing is happening in mine.
Thank you.
Stumble it!
August 8th, 2010 at 9:30 am
Dude, I’ve been looking for mine for weeks! I can’t seem to spout out anything but poetry lately.
Shakespeare´s last [type] ..Missing You
August 8th, 2010 at 9:31 am
Happens to us all the time! We’ll have writing dry spells for days, even weeks, and then suddenly – like this morning – get inspired and hack out 3 or 4 blog posts in a row. I used to try to keep a post or two stashed in limbo for when the dry spells hit, but I haven’t been nearly so motivated lately.
Rob O.´s last [type] ..14 Years of Gifts & Marriagement
August 8th, 2010 at 9:34 am
Dude, it is probably hanging out with mine, and if I know mine, it has lured yours into a bar and they’ve had way too many tequila shots. There may be embarrassing karaoke before their chastened return.
August 8th, 2010 at 9:35 am
I think Mine has joined yours. I bet there’s a whole bunch of Mojo’s out there having a great holiday at our expense!
Give it time. They’ll get bored eventually, and come crawling back home with their tails between their legs.
Babs – beetle´s last [type] ..The painting is finished
August 8th, 2010 at 9:39 am
“Serviceable Writing Ability”. LOL! Love it.
emcogNEATO!´s last [type] ..I made this!
August 8th, 2010 at 9:41 am
The first place you should always look is the Lost and Found box. Maybe it is there, next to the lost glasses, sweaters and lunchboxes.
Daisy the Curly Cat´s last [type] ..Go- Rumbles- Go!
August 8th, 2010 at 9:43 am
I suspect the washing machine. Really, anything that takes one perfectly good sock from a nicely matched pair just to screw up your day surely would be capable of snatching someone’s mojo.
August 8th, 2010 at 9:47 am
I know you’re not going to want to hear this but I’m telling you it’s at WalMart. You know you’re going to have to go sometime, just get it over with.
Sue´s last [type] ..An open letter to all office workers in a doctors office
August 8th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Shakespeare — Hey, at least you got words on the page. I have three crap posts in draft that will never be suitable for publishing.
Rob O. — I had a spurt once. And then the drought came back. So frustrating. I have never written anything that can sit in limbo. Never. I write by the seat of my pants and that’s why this happens. Congrats on your inspiration. Have you any to spare?
Elle — I knew it! My mojo can’t be trusted to stay here where it belongs. That’s it, mojo! You’re grounded!
Babs Beetle — I bet, too! I can just see them all standing in a corner, laughing at us and feeling the power they hold over us. Stupid mojos!
emcogNEATO — There are times when I browse through my old posts and curse Mr. Serviceable. He was used more often than I care to admit.
Daisy the Curly Cat — Oh, Daisy, I love you. Your comment made me smile real big and that helped me feel better. I’ll go look for the box now. Thank you.
Katherine — No, that’s where my ATM card goes. You know, when I leave my purse at home and stick it in my pocket instead. Then do wash and dry and find the card AND dried up, balled up receipts in the dryer. Even my mojo isn’t that stupid.
Sue — Oh, please don’t make me go look there. I’m scared of Walmart. Truly.
August 8th, 2010 at 10:55 am
Now, it’s possible, just possible, that your mojo is in NY, at a certain conference. I’ve been hearing some pretty incredible stories about this particular mojo, flitting around the hotel, drinking, carrying on, trashing hotel rooms, but mostly, stealing bacon from everybody’s breakfast plates. Does this sound like yours? If yes, you need to contact the NYPD because I believe it is being held pending a bail hearing. Good luck!
Nicky´s last [type] ..Get Drunk
August 8th, 2010 at 10:59 am
I think all our mojos went to BlogHer without us! I’m still struggling, too.
CatLadyLarew´s last [type] ..The Fruit Stand- A Magpie Tale
August 8th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Check the freezer. Or that pretty blue bag on the counter that says “Oreos”. I bet you could find it in there.
Surfie´s last [type] ..A Chocolate Named Eternity
August 8th, 2010 at 11:58 am
Don’t worry, girl…it’ll be back real soon, I just know it.
I honestly think it’s all this damn heat we’ve been experiencing this summer. Frying our brains. It’s been very challenging this summer to write.
Ron´s last [type] ..Your Office is Open
August 8th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Apparently I found mine once the PMS receded enough that the desire to rip everyone’s face off passed. Its been a rough couple of days. Fortunately the Manichewitz (I like it–it tastes like communion wine. Don’t judge me) and cheese quesadilla therapy is working.
Shieldmaiden1196´s last [type] ..Boogity- Boogity- Boogity
August 8th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Check the top of your head – that’s where my glasses are when I can’t find them.
Or your hand – that’s where my car keys are when I can’t find them.
Or the bottom of your purse – that’s where everything else is.
Ali´s last [type] ..Its Random in Here
August 8th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
My muse went missing a while back. I put out an APB. The police found it outside a bar, lying on the sidewalk, muttering something about being bored. After a night in jail, my muse had lots to talk about. Moral of this story. Sometimes a change in writing location can work like a GPS system and help in finding a lost mojo.
Once you do find your mojo, maybe a microchip implant is the way to go.
Lauren´s last [type] ..Companies Hiring Monkeys Instead of the Unemployed
August 8th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
You know what? Your writing mojo needs you a hell of a lot more than you need it. I mean, you can be fine all living in your house with your cats and your bacon shoes and your voodoo doll even if you never write another word so long as you live.
What the hell is your writing mojo going to do? Look around for people playing Ouija board and make them spell crass and troubling things? Oh sure that would be fun for awhile and if I were a writing mojo too I’d probably take off and do that every now and again but trust me it will get bored and come crawling back and say “please please I want to be in a quality publication like your blog again. I’m sick of teenagers slightly drunk on Boones farm trying to creep each other out!”
And the you’ll have all the power my friend. ALL the power.
Tracy´s last [type] ..Sunday Afternoon Link Up
August 8th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
you have not lost it, because i just read your blog. maybe you can;t see it but, you and your mojo are still here and going strong. life is always changing and so are we.keep it up.
August 8th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
You’re writers’ block could beat up my writers’ block, any day of the week.
Rima´s last [type] ..We Have a Hot Glue Gun
August 8th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
See? I even spelled “your” wrong!
Rima´s last [type] ..We Have a Hot Glue Gun
August 8th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Nicky — LMAO. I wouldn’t put it past my mojo to do that. Man, that’s one angry mojo. OMG. You’re too funny.
CatLadyLarew — If my mojo went to BlogHer and did what Nicky just suggested, it’s probably nursing a mean hangover. I’ll welcome it when the NYPD brings it home to me. BTW, I love Jen’s idea about having a no BlogHer convention over at Tribal. What a fun idea and so I didn’t miss the conference at all!
Surfie — Oh, you had to say Oreos. You know, I forbid myself to buy those. It’s like crack. I can’t have them in the house. EVER. It would be just like my mojo to hide somewhere that I refuse to look.
Ron — I agree with you. The heat really knocked me on my butt this summer. Barely feel like doing anything. My mojo probably gave up and went to Club Med and is drinking a mojito while floating in the pool.
Shieldmaiden1196 – I would never judge. Girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. Damn, you guys with the Oreos and cheese quesadilla talk. You’re killing me.
Ali — Check. Check. And check. Still not here. Maybe it’s in your purse? Could’ja look?
Lauren — That’s promising. So you’re saying all my mojo needed was a drunken vacation? I’ll welcome it back with open arms and a bottle of Tylenol.
Tracy — Based on your hilarious comment, I suspect my mojo is over at your house. Give it back! I love your idea that my mojo needs me more than I need it. Take that mojo! Girl, you crack me up.
kandy — Aw, thanks Kandy! I’m thrilled you think I still have it even if I don’t.
Rima — Ha! Like I noticed. See? I can’t even read right. So I’m never going to write right until my mojo comes back from wherever it’s vacationing at the moment. The bum.
August 8th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Heh heh she said “write right”. Talking like a 2-year-old again.
Mojo, Oh Mojo!! Come back, Kaykay needs you! Her wealy wupset. Come home.
August 8th, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Didn’t you find my note? I borrowed it for a bit. That’s why I’ve been so prolific lately. Now I can see why it works so well for you.
As far as getting it back, I saw the part about you coming to get it. And don’t even try to tell me it’s too far. Besides, because of the recession, USPS, UPS and FedEx all went out of business here.
I’ll get the camper ready.
Tarheel Rambler´s last [type] ..Sunday Scenery – 110
August 8th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
Mine is missing too.
I haven’t written much in weeks. If I see your mojo, I will entice it in with bacon and return it to you in a nice velvet box.
August 9th, 2010 at 12:05 am
I lose my writing mojo all to often. I guess this is because age or lack of going to the beach enough. When I lose mine I usually find it hiding under the bed.
David´s last [type] ..Stimulating Critical Thinking through a Technological Lens
August 9th, 2010 at 12:23 am
When I left for BlogHer this weekend, I forgot the charger for my Blackberry. So I went to the hotel’s Lost and Found and asked to look through their charger box. They had every charger under the sun except for one that would fit my Blackberry.
I’m only mentioning this because I didn’t see your writing mojo in there either.
Janiss´s last [type] ..World Cat Day… for Humans
August 9th, 2010 at 1:44 am
Don’t worry too much, like Kandy has pointed out, even when faced with a big brick wall of writer’s block you are still coming out with good stuff. Just keep filling up your draft box and eventually one of them will sound right. I think sometimes writers give themselves too much of a hard time over their output.
August 9th, 2010 at 5:03 am
Maybe your mojo is hangin’ out with Tiger’s Golf skills.
August 9th, 2010 at 5:27 am
Rattl’n Along – Again? That’s the way I talk all the time, don’t you know?
Tarheel Rambler — I should have known you’d have a trick up your sleeve to get me to come down there. You’re actually on my list when I do my “southern run.” It’s just a question of how I plan to get there. Drive or fly. Hold on to my mojo until then, will ya? I’m glad you can use it in the meantime. Someone should.
Jenny Beans — Oooo, so fancy! My mojo never lived so good. I’m going to try and not stress so much about getting another post up this week . It’s counterproductive. But it still drives me so crazy, it’s hard to not think about it.
David — I tried getting outside this weekend, more than usual, in the hopes it’d clear my head. But still nothing happened and I’m still looking for my mojo. I washed the bed linens yesterday. Didn’t find it on the bed or under. Sneaky bastard.
Janiss — Oh, thank you for checking the lost and found box at BlogHer. I’m sorry about your adapter, though. But you can order another one. I’m not sure I can place an order online to get my mojo back, though. Sigh.
Dana — Yes, we do give ourselves a hard time. Too much self-imposed pressure. It’s senseless. I do have some things in draft, but they all stink. I’d be embarrassed to publish them. Why, God? Why must this be so hard?
Joan Raskiewicz — Ha, that’s a good one! A few days ago, I heard he was something like 72nd out of 75 players in the tournament. Bad day there, Tiger? Now you know how everyone else feels when they play against you!
August 9th, 2010 at 8:13 am
Maybe if you tried writing with a pencil that wasn’t broken in half?
Seriously, my mojo loves to duck out at the most inconvenient times. I usually find it at Dunkin’ Donuts, spending WAY too much on coffee and gorging itself on those frosted coffee rolls.
JD at I Do Things´s last [type] ..I Take Muscle Relaxerrss ssso yooouuu donx-kdg&-jairp’a
August 9th, 2010 at 10:06 am
Kathy, it’ll come back. And have so much to tell when it does! Don’t worry.
Linda Medrano´s last [type] ..Steel Bars
August 9th, 2010 at 10:54 am
Well, don’t look at me… I don’t even have my own writing mojo to lose! I couldn’t take the pressure of a writing a humor blog, because I’m just not all that humorous!
My blog is nothing more than a daily journal of my actual life, which happens to be full of work, home improvements, cats, geese and raccoons… and a bit about my family, the ones who don’t mind if I mention them or share a photo.
And I’m not sure which came first… not very exciting so not many readers -or- not many readers because it’s not very exciting. Either way, I’m fine with that!
Barb @WillThink4Wine´s last [type] ..Night Nap Intermission with JT
August 9th, 2010 at 10:59 am
No exactly what you mean! That’s how I came up with the last 2 posts: one a picture that confuses the hell out of me and the other about one of stupid conversations dh and I have. I told him he has to keep this banter going daily so I have stuff to write about.
Lisa´s last [type] ..FedEx- UPS or USPS
August 9th, 2010 at 11:34 am
You are SOOOOO not alone.
LJ´s last [type] ..And So It Begins Again
August 9th, 2010 at 11:39 am
As I mentioned on facebook – it is off on a drunken binge with my jewelry designing muse.
They are at the beach having more fun than we will ever have.
*sigh*
I am not sure my muse will ever return so I truly hope she does not totally corrupt your Mojo
Pricilla´s last [type] ..Monday Movies with The Happy Goats
August 9th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Hey, we’re all suffering this summer, but at least you had a mojo to lose. If it weren’t for Magpies, quotes and photographs, I’d really be up the creek. I’ve got one on the back burner, but I’m waiting on some input on that. Hubby and I were talking about something or doing something the other day, and he said “now that’s a post”. What was it? Don’t know, didn’t write it down and now it’s gone. Oh well, every day is a new day, and I have a feeling your mojo will find its way home.
August 9th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
I buy mine in twelve-packs at Wal-Mart, in the school supplies aisle.
Marvin´s last [type] ..An interesting choice of props
August 9th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Mine hasn’t left but it’s taken to doing strange things like cleaning peoples houses that really should be cleaned by their owners and scraping houses for offspring and just general visiting..it’s also taken to reading a bit, I suppose that could be gathering material?
August 9th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Maybe it’s time to let that mojo go, after all, it’s apparent you don’t need it no mo. Why not try moflo, or mobo? Blame it on the dog; it is the dog days of summer!
August 9th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Are you sure you didn’t trap it in your voodoo doll? Mine occasionally hides in random objects and I have to stare at them for hours before it admits defeat and comes back. It especially likes the stuffed Totoro doll sitting beside my computer.
August 9th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
JD at I Do Things — Yes, it’s rather like using a golf pencil and we all know how stupid they are. OMG. Why’d you have to say frosted coffee rolls?! They sell those in the food court down the hall from me. They’re the size of my face and I love them. It makes sense my mojo would gravitate to them. I’ll check tomorrow.
Linda Medrano — I’m holding you to that.
Bart at WillThink4Wine — I admit it’s hard at times. And especially when the guy who I complained to this weekend about it said “Oh, stop it. Every time you say that, you post something hilarious.” So, yeah. The pressure is there and I hate it. Oh, but you have plenty of readers who know good writing when they see it. I’m a fan because of your wittiness and fun spirit. Don’t be so hard on yourself, my dear.
Lisa — I try that too. I ask my husband and random people I see at work “Did you do or see anything dumb today?” I have some people on it.
LJ — Misery does indeed love company.
Pricilla — I love how half of you figure my mojo is drunk right now. There’s a certain charm to that, isn’t there? We should both be worried. My mojo is totally corruptable.
Linda — I haven’t yet had to dip into the picture post, but it’s not beyond me. I sit and look at my pictures file and even there nothing is jumping out at me. Don’t you love that our spouses try to help us with posts? Sometimes we do need two brains trying to think stuff up. Write it down next time!
Marvin — There’s a second vote for Walmart. Seriously. Don’t make me go looking there.
TC — You have a very lazy mojo who doesn’t appreciate anything. I say give it a time out and no dinner for a night!
MA Fat Woman — But no! I need my mojo! I am nothing without it! But I will blame this lull on summer. Stupid summer!
Criminal Justice Degree — Nope. Checked there too. Voodoo doll is innocent. At least yours doesn’t go far. I’m afraid mine’s sitting at the Canadian border right not. Drunk.
August 9th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Least you have a mojo…and people to write for. I think I’m about the only one who reads what I write.
Ah well, at least I can act. That’s what they tell me anyway.
I’m inclined to go with what George Carlin always said…look in the freezer on top of the Guacamole Ice Cream.
Laura´s last [type] ..All The Things I Thought Id Figured Out
August 9th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
Kathy, I now have a picture of you in my mind… Face-eating that frosted coffee roll and not sharing because your mojo is hiding under it. Good luck with finding it soooooooon!!!
August 9th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
Ah- I don’t think you have lost it, I think it is just the summer time blogging blues. It’s all over the web- it will come back to you soon enough.
My other suggestion is that maybe it left when you got involved in voodoo- that’s some pretty heavy mojo. It’ll come back when you let go off the dark side.
Michelle Gartner´s last [type] ..Ghost of Stephen Foster by Squirrel Nut Zippers
August 10th, 2010 at 8:29 am
Do like I did…go to a NASCAR race. You’ll get it back real quickly.
Oh, and to add to the cheese quesadillas and Oreos comments, I’ll just say one word: BACON!
Unfinished Rambler´s last [type] ..Up jumped the boogity- boogity- boogity
August 10th, 2010 at 8:50 am
That simply means that you have to take a break for a while and unwind. Who knows? Someone you know must have hidden it so you can go out and enjoy yourself a bit.
August 10th, 2010 at 9:00 am
I find this post to be highly insensitive. Some of us have never even had writing mojo, and here you are, flaunting the fact that yours had the nerve to take a little vacation. Lady, I would kill for mojo that would desert me a few times a year for R&R and come back afterward. You heard me: Kill.
August 10th, 2010 at 10:06 am
It must be on vacation with mine – I wrote the same type of post yesterday.
Sheila Sultani´s last [type] ..Naked In The News
August 10th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Maybe you left it at the Bowling Alley?
meleah rebeccah´s last [type] ..Lunch and Bowling with Fellow Bloggers
August 10th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
It’s some kind of conspiracy. Mine’s gone, too. They’re probably all huddled together somewhere forming a union. I fear we all may be screwed.
injaynesworld´s last [type] ..injaynesworld its the Sunday Recap
August 10th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
Laura — “I think I’m about the only one who reads what I write.” Oh, no, my friend. Everyone thinks that and it was so true for me for the first six months I blogged. It’s really a wonder I continued with it. And I couldn’t act to save my life. Nor would anyone want to see it. So there.
Ratt’n Along — Mmmm, face-eating! Is there a better way? OMG. Those things are so good. I have to eat it with a fork and it takes forever. {mouth waters}
Michelle Gartner — It’s funny. I don’t remember my last two summers blogging being this bad for writing and reading. Where the hell is everyone? And remember, my voodoo is only good voodoo. In fact, I should go do a chant right now for my mojo to come back (it’s still not here!)
Unfinished Rambler — Now where am I going to find a NASCAR race around here, dude? But just imagine the material. Mmmmm…..material…..
Flower Box — Well, I have been getting out, even in this heat. But I didn’t find my mojo and I’m afraid it may not ever come back. *sniff*
Tara — LMAO. I’m sorry. I shan’t flaunt anymore.
Sheila Sultani — Do you think they’re somewhere beachy? Or maybe camping in the wilderness? Are we talking umbrella drinks or RVs?
meleah rebeccah — That and my dignity.
injaynesworld — I don’t know. Maybe it really is a way to tell us to get the hell off the computer for a while. I’m going to watch some trash TV now in the hopes that something ridiculous will present itself before me.
August 10th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Blame the cats. Mine wind up stealing everything. Socks, pens, mojo — you name it.
Blasted cats…
The Hawg!´s last [type] ..Being prepared- a how-to fair coming Aug 21
August 11th, 2010 at 8:31 am
Maybe it is just suffering from post-bloggiversary depression and needed some time alone. I know milestone birthdays can be traumatic for many, so I imagine your blogging mojo just needs some alone-time.
Jenn of Many Cabbages´s last [type] ..Kooky Clems Oddity Attic
August 11th, 2010 at 11:40 am
I’m sure yours is hanging out with mine and everyone else who left a comment here. I can’t even come up with decent comments these days.
Jen´s last [type] ..Rethinking Motherhood
August 11th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
That’s a little bit harsh! It happened to me once and I was disappointed because I couldn’t find it. I was just looking for an invisible stuff. So frustrating!
Hopefully, you can see your writing mojo soon…try to look for it in the green meadow…or in the midst of misty mini- forest…=)
August 11th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
I find when I lose my mojo I purchase stationary from http://www.pomegranate.com or I write from the perspective of my dog, Cocoa. EVERYthing is interesting from Cocoa’s perspective.
August 12th, 2010 at 8:20 am
I had this, and as a result I let my blog go stale for about a year and a half without posting.
However, I found him hiding sheepishly in my laziness draw, and so I decided to lure him out, or should I say force him out, with a with my bare hands. I am now happy to announce I am back in the blogosphere!
August 12th, 2010 at 10:53 am
Mine’s gone too, I blame Dr Evil.
Susan Montgomery´s last [type] ..Dog Trainers version of the age old question
August 16th, 2010 at 1:55 am
You still sound like you have plenty of mojo to me
August 21st, 2010 at 8:46 pm
The first thing to understand is that we all lose our writerly wits from time to time. Often it occurs because we have kept them confined too long at the end of a leash without feeding them enough or, on the odd occasion, we may have forgotten to stroke their egos sufficiently. Either situation can and will result in a wayward mojo.
The problem for most is not that we have lost our wits, it is that we may not be able find them again, and I’m afraid all of us have to face the fact that we may not be able to get our mojo back and may need to replace it with another.
If that becomes the case, I would suggest Amazon. They carry a large number of different things and most likely will have at least one choice of mojo. They may also offer used mojos (although I haven’t actually checked their inventory). A used mojo can be a good investment, but when shopping for one you are often confronted with the problem of choosing the appropriate size and style from among the wide variety that may be available. For instance, are you looking for something in a Shakespearian line? Or, would a simple Mark Twain be a better fit?
Another source you may check for both new and used mojos is eBay. There are often fire sale prices available on the wits of writers who are going out of the business. As always in such matters, you have to carefully check the reasons that the writer is leaving the business in order to determine if the wits are worthless. (Some unscrupulous dealers have been known to sell half a wit and list it as a whole one. You can imagine the confusion that can result from that.)
One more word of caution–be alert for counterfeit mojos. A number of cheap fakes have reportedly hit the U.S. market lately. The usual pattern is that someone takes a common ‘nogo’ and rebrands it as a ‘mojo’ and sells it for ten times its original worth.
It is a sad thing when a writer’s mojo is a nogo. I hope you find yours soon.
Billy O´s last [type] ..Laptop Lunch 320040 Small Single Wall Stainless Steel 17 fl Ounce Drink Bottle
August 31st, 2010 at 11:41 am
It happens. I have to write a lot, and I frequently find myself in a “writing rut” that I need to shake myself out of. Generally I just get away for a bit and everything works itself out and the “blockage” is removed!
September 1st, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Bacon. Cajole it with bacon. It was there sizzling right under your nose the whole time!
October 6th, 2010 at 9:15 am
Just forget about it, and it will come back after some time. Coming and going of Mojo is like tides, you cannot stop it or make it come earlier. The best you can do is to relax your mind meanwhile so that you had a lot of energy when it finally comes back.
December 25th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Here’s hoping that Santa brings your mojo back.
Merry Christmas.
Frank Lee Meidere´s last [type] ..Christmas Comic- “30 seconds later”