How to Get Your Comedy Mojo Back: A 10-Step Guide

By Anna Gray

Stand-up comedy is an incredibly addictive pursuit. Nothing fills me with such buzz, such electrifying highs of euphoria than smashing a gig, winning over a quiet room or acing some brand-new material.

But… with highs come lows. And just as the highs can skyrocket, the lows can be bad. Why-the-fuck-am-I-doing-this, I-want-to-pack-it-all-in-and-become-an-accountant-or-something-else-boring-and-reliable, maybe-I-can-just-lie-in-bed-and-eat-crisps-and-turn-my-back-on-comedy-forever bad.

I’d say I experience the Dark Night of the Comedic Soul pretty frequently.

It’s worth remembering that: every time it is awful and EVERY time the pendulum swings back to being good again.

So, as someone who’s been in the stand up trenches many a time, here’s a step-by-step guide to getting your comedy mojo back.

As much as your mum told you to stop being attention seeking, I’m afraid performing is all about that. We are, by default, seeking attention. Guess what? The nice thing about comedians is they’re usually people who have experienced many a menty-b and are open to giving advice.

I’ve met some truly wonderful comedy friends who always have my back when I’m in a slump. Remember it’s a good idea to share when and why you’re feeling down. People might give you – wait for it – compliments! Praise! Advice! Comforting words! Those are never bad things. WhatsApp groups, Instagram and Facebook are great for this, especially as you can read stuff back. Or go crazy and meet someone face to face.

Comedians are usually perfectionists to an anally retentive degree. We beat ourselves up. The perk of this is that we challenge ourselves to progress, but it can get a bit much. Try and view yourself from an outside perspective. Celebrate how hard you’ve worked, how much you’ve done, and go gently. Imagine you are one of your comedy friends, and think about what you’d say to them.

Taking a break is a great idea. It doesn’t need to be a long one, but it should be a proper one. That means sleep, eat, wash, socialise if you can, wear comfy clothes, do things that refill your cup. You will probably get stand up ideas while you’re out there living your life. Many of my best writing ideas come to me in the shower or on the tube. Rest. Comedy will be waiting for you. It is NOT a race. Nor is it actually a competition, however much you might convince yourself otherwise.

Do something completely different. Laundry, make a wonky pot, do a collage, junk journal, walk, pay some bills, eat a sandwich, go to a charity shop, tidy a drawer, have a coffee, watch that incredibly long Greek myth film made by a straight white man. Take your foot off the gas and you will STILL keep moving forward, I promise.

Do gigs you like. Do lineups with friends if possible. Do short spots and perform material you know works. Gig close to home so you don’t have to drag yourself halfway across the country to a terrible pub basement. Try and make your life a bit easier for a while.

Gamify it. Challenge yourself to do one, two, three gigs and tick them off when done. Then see if you fancy any more.

A comedian I know said “think of all the shit male comedians who never doubt themselves…that’s why they stay shit.

If you manage to get on stage, you’ve done something that 99% of people would never be brave enough to do. You’re great.”

You ARE great!

Writers’ rooms and workshops can be a really handy way to break out of a slump. If you’re a stand up, you could try character comedy or clowning for a change. There are lots of free things available. You could pair up with a pal and make a day of it. Be silly and play.

Just stop gigging for a bit, and watch some shows instead. They could be your favourite comedians, but equally I sometimes find watching ‘bad’ comedy inspiring. Anything that gets your arse in gear is great. Whether you leave thinking ‘I wish I could do that’ or ‘blimey, I could do way better than that and they still have an audience’ – use it.

I work as an usher at a comedy venue and get to see lots of shows I’d never choose to watch – this is also great. Take a chance on a random show. If you don’t enjoy a show, why? How could you do it differently? Is there a tiny ‘something’ you’ve just witnessed that you’d like to try? It’ll get the cogs whirring.

If money is tight/you don’t want to leave the house, here’s a handy hack, and something I’ve just tried for the first time. Watch a show online (YouTube, iPlayer etc) and ‘study’ it with a notebook. Don’t put yourself under any pressure to laugh. Note down timestamps of different bits, structure, things you liked, things you didn’t. How they move between stories. Crowd work. Physicality. It will inform your performances.

I have always done this. I keep flyers in mine, stickers, do mind maps, brainstorms, write down my gigs and venues, feedback. It doesn’t have to be full, but it’s nice to have a record that you’re out there doing stuff.

I did my first split bill recently with Lorra Videv and it was GREAT. It really took the pressure off. We went for a ridiculously overpriced pizza and got our notebooks out and chatted till the open-mic comics came home. We made it FUN. It was so nice to share in what can be an ordeal. I had a great time.

One of my favourite pieces of art is a tombstone by Mr Bingo which reads ‘Don’t Forget to Have Fun’.

‘Remember to have fun’ has become my personal mantra, to the point I will maniacally repeat it to myself before gigs. Despite the irony of this image of a woman “having fun”, it does help.

A comedy mentor of mine once said to me “it’s supposed to be fun, Anna. Don’t do it if it isn’t”. You’re choosing to spend your night doing this thing, in these odd basements and back rooms. The audiences want to have fun, but it should also be fun for you.

Enjoying your work will make you a better comedian. If you’re not having fun, shake things up, take a break, step back and recalibrate. It’s not that serious. Literally. The whole thing is a joke.

MEET ANNA GRAY 💥

Her comedy in three words: Energetic. Self-deprecating. Unpredictable. You won’t know what’s happening — but you will be laughing.

Group chat identity: spam replier, GIF gremlin, pun criminal.

Follow her on Instagram.