Often the audience and new comedians think that stand up comedy is simply stepping on stage and saying whatever you want. That the comedy is a spontaneous and impromptu display of one’s wit. This could not be farther from the truth. Sure there are some moments of improv but most comedy especially stand up comedy is a well-rehearsed and refined set that has been written and rewritten time and time again until it becomes a polished craft that can be recited in your sleep.
But how do comedians build a career and craft that can stand the test of time, night after night and year after year? Well there are a few small tweaks that any comedian can make to ensure they build the best routine and wow audiences every time they step on stage.
Tip #1 — Memorize Your Routine…Naturally
Another huge mistake that new comedians make is that they memorize a routine and a set of jokes but end up sounding like a robot. While this might be a great way to get a lot of laughs, it does not allow you to interact with the audience or to go into more depth on a joke if you are getting a lot of laughs. Instead of memorizing jokes to just regurgitate them, have a style and flow to go with, and if you end up forgetting lines or setups, that is fine, no one else is going to know.
Tip #2 — Get Up Regularly
You can not become an expert on stand up comedy if you are not doing stand up all of the time. If you want to be a comedian, you will need to commit to the process and get yourself on stage for at least six nights a week. It is better though if you can commit to being on stage all seven nights a week.
Tip #3 — Stay Relaxed
Being too formal is off-putting and instantly causes you to lose audience attention. You want to seem at ease and talk to your audience like you would speak to your family and friends. No one wants to go out and feel like they are in a business meeting when they want to laugh and have a good time.
Tip #4 — Don’t Be A Jerk (Unless You’re Steve Martin)
While you might be a jerk, you do not want to appear that you are a jerk. Some people do have a demeanor and a particular personality where they are a jerk when they are performing, but are not acting this way when they are dealing with booking agents and management. Keep in mind that you have to be confident, but resist the urge to be overconfident and cocky no matter how good you are. So many comedians have lost their careers by becoming a jerk.
Tip #5 — Never Give Up
You might find it discouraging to get up in front of a crowd of one, but to that one person who took time out to see you, there is no reason not to give them your best performance. Remember that each audience member could be doing anything else, so give them your best. If you happen to bomb one night, keep going.
Comedy is really more about putting in the time and work than being the funniest person. I know it seems counter to what you would believe but there are many people who are drop-dead funny that quit because comedy was too hard. With the tips above you can build a long and lasting comedy career as long as you never give up.