A comedian cannot be successful without the ability to write comedy. That’s why it is very important to have good writing skills. There are many ways to improve your comedy writing.
To improve your comedy writing the main way is Practice, Practice, and Practice. As you may have heard, that practice makes perfect, the same thing goes with comedy writing. You should learn from other comedy writers and keep practicing your writing. Every time you write something you level up your skills and understanding of comedy.
Writing can be performed by anyone who has passion for it, but comedy writers should possess a good sense of humor so that they can become a well-versed person in their profession.
Any intelligent person can learn humor but the practice of writing is very important. Comedy writers are the ones that are most wanted by the readers; since it is the medicine that relieves them from their stress.
It took me several years of writing to get paid to be a writer. So be prepared to spend time learning to writer before you are paid to write. Although I was lucky it was my years of unpaid practice that made me ready when I had the opportunity to write for thousands of dollars and work with headlining comedians.
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How to Improve Comedy Writing
“If writing is an art then comedy writing is the master of arts.”
Unknown
Comedy writing, like al writing is subjective. Find the style and the of comedy you want to write and then work at it. If you use the following 10 tips to improve your comedy writing you will be one step closer to living your dream.
#1 Learn From Others
Learning from others is the best tool to excel in any profession. Similarly, comedy writers should read the other authors comedy writings in order to improve themselves.
Learning the ways from other writers provies writers a way to understand how to keep suspense, what kind of words should be used, and how to express a sense of humor will give comedy writers a clear idea to excel in the profession.
Perform stand-up comedies and improve yourself with good humour sense. Practice makes everyone perfect. Practice comedy in whatever things you may take and read books for reference before you start to write any comedy article.
#2 Enjoy The Process
Every writer should find a place to write without any stress and distraction. In the case of comedy writers, you should be in a location that improves your comic thinking sense.Having a process and enjoying the writing process is essential to becoming a better comedy writer. If you hate writing then comedy writing may not be the best path for you.
Having a process is a value that should be possessed by the comedy writers, so that funny scenarios can fill your mind and you can write it. Enjoying the writing process will help comedy writers think of funny situations and will be easier with a good writing location and process.
#3 Think Differently
Comedy usually occurs when the situations or any ideas that don’t match between two or more. (i.e. in an opposite manner). The incongruity theory suggests that humor arises when things that do not normally go together replace logic and familiarity. For example, a joke becomes funny when we predict an outcome and another happens. So indulge the way of writing in an incongruent way to obtain humor from readers.
Practice writing by maintaining a notebook and write the situations or the scenes that made you laugh or any comic phrases or sentences that come to your mind, so that it will act as a reference and a refresher while you are writing the comedy articles.
#4 Speak, Listen, & Watch Funny
In order to improve your comedy writing skill learn to speak, listen, and watch funny people and content.
Speak
Perform stand-up, sketch or improv comedy in any functions or meetings without hesitation. Speak in a comic manner and identify how people get attracted to your way of speech. Analyse the percentage of people who appreciates your sense of humor and why. Since not all uttered jokes are appreciable, find what works for you and learn to tap into that voice.
Listen
Listen to comedy words and phrases and also make clear when and where to use it. Listening to comedy albums or music can help enhance your understanding of what is funny and how to put such humor together.
Watch
Watch TV shows, comedy movies, youtube videos on stand-up comedy by others and study them for what besides the words make the content funny. Reading screenplays or TV episodes before or after you watch them will help you notice new things and improve your comedic style and understanding.
#5 Learn To Grab Readers Attention
Grasping or grabbing attention of readers is one of the main aim of any writer. So the comedy writer should identify the nooks and corners of a reader’s mind to grab their attention and response to their comedy writing. The comedy writer should first think and analyze the ways to attract people before starting to write. Studying great comedic works in your chosen style will help you sharpen that comedy skill.
The author should know the timing when to impose comedy in his writing, because making comedy in a mismatched situation may irritate the readers. Understanding that different comedy styles work for different genres is something that comedy writers must understand. Study your favorite comedy writers and how they develop comedies so that you can learn what situations and styles go together.
#6 Create Characters
Another way to improve your comedy writing, is to build a comedy character in your writing. Use people in your life that you find funny as role models for the character. The character can be used as a coin to impose your comic sense. Feel yourself as the character and add comedy to every scene which involves the character in it.
Building a character that lives in the world is a good way for you to visualize comedic situations and scenarios that you can write. If you are writing screenplays or TV series living with that character will be common throughout the project so if you cannot visualize them in comedic situations you may find it harder to write them in the future.
#7 Make Comedy Natural Not Forced
Making comedy natural so that readers enjoy it without feeling forced is an art unto itself. Most good comedies will have a major laugh or humorous high point. This high point could be the climax of the story or the key moment of humor. It may appear about ¾ of the way into the text or towards the end of the text. Either way it has to feel as if it belongs and not as if it was a last minute addition to get the laugh.
Use metaphors, puns, alliteration to bring fun in your words. Comedy dialogues and timing comedy improves reader’s attention. Having a natural flow in the action with comedy intertwined grabs the reader’s attention and keeps readers engaged.
#8 Write Simply
The comedy should be casual, and uttering of words like a chat with your friend sounds better and improves the reader’s interest. Just write what you are thinking and read aloud the written ones so that if any parts of the comedy that are confusing and wordy can be rectified.
Often writers (although not comedy writers) tend to over describe and be overly dramatic with their language creating long rambling sentences that don’t add to the story. Remember that brevity is the most important tool in a comedian’s arsenal. Use it in writing too.
#9 Understand Surprise
Surpriseful moments are the best ones. Making comedy surprising so that the readers may not expect it and thus laugh out loud. Reverse the reader’s expectations and twist them. Practicing it makes the readers engaged and forces them to pay attention to your text.
Twists are made not only in crime novels; a comedic twist is the best one to read and enjoy. As not only does it surprise but entertains.
#10 Get Honest Feedback
Humor has to be tested outside of your own self. It should be tested among the audience or at least a few people you trust to provide honest feedback. If you have to pay someone to read your work investing the smallest amount of money will be worth it.
After writing something check it thoroughly and distribute it among your friends or family to get feedback so that you can edit! Editing or rewriting is a loop designed to bring the best outcome from your projects.
Remember that rewriting is writing. So take time to get feedback so that your next draft is better. Editing is one that adds fruits to your work to produce the best results.
Conclusion
Humor writing is a precious gift possessed by few people. Not all writers can become a comedy writer because it is difficult to apply comedy to paper. Practice makes any writer do their best. So follow the above steps in order to excel as a comedy writer and make the world funnier through your writing. If you work hard enough you could be the next Scott Dikker, Judd Apatow or Jordan Peele.
