The Truth About Stand-Up Comedy Writing Exercises
Many people who are looking to take a shot at becoming a comedian search for stand-up comedy writing exercises – hoping to find something that will give them an edge in developing their material.
Well, if that describes you, then you might want to know this…
You will be hard-pressed to find a bigger time-wasting activity related to developing a stand-up comedy act.
It Starts With You
The fact that a person is even looking for stand-up comedy writing exercises reveals that they are under the false impression that:
Myth: There are no differences between writing and talking—they are exactly the same types of communication and are completely interchangeable.
This inaccurate and misleading approach is widespread among people in the world of stand-up comedy, whether they are comedians, instructors, or talent buyers.
It is this skewed mentality that causes new and prospective comedians to seek out any sort of “writing exercises” that may help in the process of developing a powerful stand-up comedy act.
Nope, Not The Same
The first thing you may want to do is use any search engine and search for:
Differences between writing and talking
You will find millions of results pages addressing these differences.
Yet outside my own educational materials for comedians, the important and significant differences between writing and talking are ignored when it comes to showing someone how to “write jokes.”
But let me provide a brief list of the differences between writing and talking and why it makes a HUGE difference when it comes to developing stand-up comedy material for the stage:
- You did not develop your sense of humor and the way you express your sense of humor from handing people written notes for them to read and respond to during conversational exchanges.
- What makes you funny or gives you the ability to cause others to laugh—in casual conversations or on stage—involves much more than just the words and sentences you use.
Note: If words, sentences, and word placement or structure were the only factors involved with causing people to laugh, there would be no need for a “human” comedian. A mechanical head on a stick that merely speaks (in that monotone machine voice) written words and sentences crafted by comedy “writers” would be all that is needed to cause audiences to howl with laughter.
- Since “writing” only involves words (produced for an individual reader), many more words are needed to convey information, thoughts, ideas, opinions, observations, etc.
In stand-up comedy, an economy of words is not only critical but mandatory to:
- Deliver the set-ups to the punchlines
- Deliver the punchlines
- Allow the audience ample time to laugh for each punchline
For each minute a comedian is on stage, they need to be able to deliver an average of 4-6+ punchlines (and generate an average of 18 seconds of laughter) using 80 words or less.
Don’t Just Take My Word for It
Just go to YouTube and find any video of your favorite stand-up comedian and verify what I am telling you for yourself—you can actually use your smartphone to accurately verify what I am telling you using the information provided in this report:
Smartphone Secrets for Comedians
The Bottom Line
Here is what I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt about any sort of stand-up comedy writing exercises you may find and decide to do:
- They WILL NOT show you how to have more comedy talent than you already have.
- They WILL NOT show you how to develop stand-up comedy material for live performances based on ALL the things that make you funny or give you the ability to cause others to laugh.
- They WILL NOT show you how to structure what you want to say and express in a way that will help you generate 4-6+ laughs per minute on stage.
Let me leave you with this:
Should your comedy material be written down? The answer is YES. Otherwise, you have no means to effectively edit or adjust your material.
But “writing down” what you want to say and express to an audience, structured for maximum laughter impact, is absolutely NOT the same thing as trying to “write” comedy material in a way that is intended for a reader and excludes the other major attributes that give a talented individual the ability to cause others to laugh—onstage or offstage.
The Role of Video in Comedy Development
Video as a Tool for Improvement
One of the most effective ways to refine your stand-up comedy is to use video recordings. By watching your performances, you can see how your body language, facial expressions, and voice inflection contribute to your overall delivery. This method allows you to pinpoint areas where you can improve and helps you understand how your audience reacts to different parts of your act.
Review and Refine
Reviewing video footage enables you to see subtle nuances in your performance that you might miss while performing. This self-analysis is crucial for continuous improvement and ensures that your delivery is as impactful as possible.
Understanding Natural Comedy Talent
Your Unique Comedy Voice
Everyone has a unique way of expressing humor. This natural comedy voice is developed through years of interpersonal interactions and is influenced by your experiences, personality, and perspective. Your ability to make people laugh in everyday conversations is a result of these interactions, not from writing jokes on paper.
Natural vs. Fabricated Humor
When you rely solely on written jokes, you risk losing the natural delivery that makes your humor effective. Instead, focus on developing your material based on your natural speaking style and humor. This approach ensures that your performances are authentic and resonate with your audience.
Embrace Your Organic Joke Formulas
Developing Authentic Material
Your natural joke formulas are those that you use instinctively when talking and making others laugh. These formulas are not about following a rigid structure but about leveraging your natural ability to connect with people through humor.
From Conversation to Stage
Transforming your conversational humor into stage material involves capturing the essence of what makes you funny in everyday life. This process includes structuring your material for maximum impact, ensuring that your setups and punchlines are concise and effective.
Avoid the Pitfalls of Writing Exercises
The Ineffectiveness of Writing Exercises
Writing exercises often fail to capture the dynamic and spontaneous nature of live performances. They focus too much on the written word and ignore the crucial elements of delivery, timing, and audience interaction.
Focus on Performance
Instead of spending time on writing exercises, invest in rehearsing your material out loud, recording your performances, and getting feedback from live audiences. This approach is more effective in helping you develop a strong stand-up comedy act.
Final Thoughts
Trying to find some sort of stand-up comedy writing exercises to help you develop a routine that actually gets laughs is like trying to find the right screwdriver to hammer in a nail.