Too often comedians get caught up in whatever live performance things they do weather it be stand up, improv, sketch, etc. The truth is a comedian needs to be more than someone on stage they need to be a business person. You need to think outside of traditional means while you are working as a stand up in order to create some income outside of a traditional 9 to 5.
Here are several ways you can make money as a comedian without ever stepping foot onstage.
- Write Blogs Or Articles
- Write Comic Books Or Comic Strips
- Write Stage Or Screenplays
- Host Or Co-Host A Podcast
- Host Or Co-Host A YouTube Channel
- Host Or Emcee Live Events
- Create Video Series Or Films
- Be A Voice Over Actor
- Be A Background Actor
- Write Jokes For Other Comedians
- Ghostwrite For Money
The best thing that every happened to me was running my own comedy show, The Clean Comedy Hour in Los Angeles. On one of the shows I had comedian Dwayne Perkins as the headliner. As we waited for him to go onstage we got to talking and he asked me “Besides stand up comedy what else do you do?” Without missing a beat I said I co-host a podcast called The Clean Comedy Podcast. To which he responded “What else do you do?” I was dumbfounded and had no other responses.
Immediately he explained that I could not just be a one or two trick pony. Anyone can do stand up and anyone can host a podcast. What else could I offer? He said I needed a blog, I needed to write things, and do more than just stand up and podcast. Because of Dwayne Perkins I wrote my first book, started writing screenplays that got me a few writing jobs not only as a writers assistant but as a writer for a few web series, I started this site and blog, and I have a thriving business where I write and ghostwrite for other people. So let me show you how you can make money off stage so that you can pursue your love of live comedy on stage.
Write Blogs Or Articles
Often people thing blogging is either dead or only for women. I have written for a few blogs (including this one) and found that it is a good way to gain exposure as well as build your brand. I started by writing for stuff outside of comedy like comic books and movies. While these did not last it was good to engage my inner writer and helped me start a professional writing career.
Find your passion and either start a blog about it or find a site and see if you can guest blog. Often if you have a passion there are others who love that thing as well. Find you tribe and build an audience separate from your comedy so that you can combined tribes.
Write Comic Books Or Comic Strips
So as I said I am a huge comic book nerd. I grew up on comic books and movies. Over the last few years I submitted mini comic book scripts to several contests and had some luck. While my preferred genre for is sci-fi and superhero I know that I always have a bit of humor in my scripts.
Try your hand at either creating short comics for online or working with someone to write comic scripts. Even silly drawings can have a big impact. Just look at the Far Side or even meme’s as they are comic like in the way they relay ideas.
Write Stage Or Screenplays
There are theater people and movie people. I am a movie person but I am often asked to write stage plays. Honestly I have done a few but screenplays and TV pilots are more my speed. I found that my comedy skills are in demand and made a few thousand from writing for people.
I recommend taking some time writing a spec script (aka a fake episode) of a TV show you love and if you are interested in writing movies writing a spec (which in film means a script you are not getting paid to write) so that you at least have two samples to show.
Since I have been writing I have written 30 TV pilots, 15 feature films, 50 commercials and over 100 web shows. Now not all are under my name and to be honest most don’t have my name they are ghostwritten, which is a lter topic.
Host Or Co-Host A Podcast
I have been co-hosting The Clean Comedy Podcast for over three years. While we average three to four thousand downloads a month on our weekly podcast it is great for making money as well as building a brand and getting our name out there.
The podcast led to having bigger comedians mentor us as well as allowed us to help other comedians build there brand and career. We also started The Clean Comedy Hour live shows and opportunities to host and emcee other events.
Host Or Co-Host A YouTube Channel
I will admit I am the worst at YouTube. This site will get a YouTube channel and I will be adding stuff there but I have experience with how it can propel people forward. Comedian Bo Burnham blew up because of YouTube.
In fact an eight episode web series I wrote, Abracadabra, was made because the lead had over a million YouTube subscribers. YouTube has also helped comedians promote their stand up clips and comedians like Andrew Schultz are gaining fans because of their stand up comedy clips. At the very least start a channel to post your stand up. Try making skits or even talk about your passions and hobbies. Fans that like you will be more inclined to come out to your shows as well.
Host Or Emcee Live Events
Hosting is an art. If you can take a Toastmasters class or How To Emcee class I recommend doing it. Not only will this allow you to host your own events or shows but it will allow you to add Hosting/Emcee to your resume.
One of the emcees, Howard Aronin, for The Clean Comedy Hour show was asked to emcee a festival called the Hidden Hills Hootenanny, all because someone heard he hosted comedy shows. Had he never emceed shows he would have never had that opportunity. Try it out you may find you love doing it!
Create Video Series Or Films
My dream as a kid was to be the next Tarantino, Rodriguez or Smith and make movies to entertain. I have been writing so many other scripts for others that I have not directed anything other than short films as a student filmmaker.
There are some great comedians and comedy actors that also create some of the funniest videos. One of my favorites is Melissa Tucker who is popular for her Millennial Job Interview video. I was able to work with Melissa and create a GOT parody with her character meeting Jon Snow on Tinder called Game of Tinder.
These are great ways for you to show your talent and practice your writing skills. Plus if you have a bunch of comedian friends it will give them material to add to their acting reel.
Be A Voice Over Actor
Voice work comes in all types of work. From narrating an podcast opening to narrating an eBook. I have several comedian friends who make a nice living in voice over work. Maybe you don’t want to be on screen but you have a nice voice. There are many actors who make a great living doing so.
Amazon makes it easy for voice actors with their ACX program that links authors and voice actors/readers.
Be A Background Actor
If you live in NYC or LA being a background actor is almost one of the easiest jobs to get. Sure you have to apply, take pictures and sign up for agencies but if you want to do it you can pretty easily. Heck even I have been a background actor and even a Production Assistant who accidentally became a background actor on Fox’s Lethal Weapon series (in the park scene in Season 2 Episode 4 just around the tree in a black backpack).
Check out Central Casting for tips and tricks to becoming a background actor.
Write Jokes For Other Comedians
The first money I ever made in stand up came from a national headlining comedian and multiple award winning comedian. They paid me to write jokes for them that they could use in their act. I wrote hundreds of jokes and made a few thousand from the process. Once the word was out a few more comedians hired me and I have written for or punched up jokes for dozens of comedians.
In addition I been asked to write for greeting card companies, video commercials, ad agencies and all kinds of people who need funny slogans and jokes. Posting jokes on twitter or even having a blog or podcast can do wonders for you. Remember you have to be able to deliver so if you say you are going to write one hundred one liners make sure you know how to write one liners. I would recommend you pick up this book to help you with your comedy and joke writing.
Ghostwrite For Money
Many of you are reading this and say hey if i ghostwrite no one will ever know I am a great writer. Wrong. I have more people knocking on my door than I can handle and I am not the best writer out there. Don’t discount this as you can make some great money writing as a ghostwriter all while getting paid.
I have ghostwritten everything from wedding toasts to full history books (I have a Masters in History and Business Administration). I have made money ghostwriting jokes for headlining and featuring comedians as well as punching up for TV shows and feature films. People will learn your name even if its not on the work or you signed an NDA. This is why samples are important so invest the time in your own writing to show what you can do.
While these are not the only ways you can make a living these are some of the ways I have found to generate money as a comedian when I am not on stage. Try a few and find what works best for you.