The #1 Burning Question That Every New Comedian Has

[pass global=query fields=custom][if pass='{CUSTOM}’ value=scf empty=false] [else][/if][/pass] Here’s the #1 burning question every new comedian has:

How do I write funny jokes for a stand-up comedy routine?

And to me, that question is in the same league as this one:

How long is a piece of string?

The reality is this—I couldn’t even begin to tell you how to “write” stand-up jokes in any sort of meaningful way. A big part of that is due to these undeniable facts:

I don’t know you. I have never met you. I don’t know how you look, how you talk, how you express yourself, what points of view you have, or [insert extensive laundry list of things that give you the personalized ability to make others laugh when you talk and express yourself in conversation here].

Why “One-Size-Fits-All” Doesn’t Work in Comedy

The best analogy that I can give at this juncture is this:

There is no one-size-fits-all shoe that works for everyone—they come in all shapes, styles, and sizes to accommodate the differences in the feet that are going to wear them and the reasons they are being worn.

Trying to peddle a one-size-fits-all “joke writing” approach is very much like trying to peddle a one-size-fits-all shoe.

There are a whole host of issues associated with attempting to “write” stand-up comedy material using some sort of “standard approach” that is supposed to work for everyone.

But it doesn’t work well, if at all.

But don’t just take my word for it. Simply suffer through any comedy open mic night anywhere in the world (that has stand-up comedy) and you can make your own judgment on just how well that “standard one-size-fits-all approach” works out.

A Different Approach to Crafting Comedy

Truth be told, the methodology that I teach is a one-size-fits-all approach from a very specific perspective, which is:

My approach to creating stand-up comedy material from scratch involves recognizing, structuring, and tightly compiling your sense of humor and the way you express that sense of humor to get the laughs you want when you hit the stage.

In other words…

It seems absolutely ludicrous to me to abandon the comedy talent that you have—the comedy talent that took you years to develop organically as a result of countless live and in-person exchanges with others—for some sort of “writing” process to try to fabricate “jokes” out of thin air.

Yes, your comedy material should be written down as that is the visual presentation you need to edit, refine, tighten, delete, or otherwise adjust the comedy material that you want to bring to the stage.

But that’s not “writing” in the way most people assume stand-up comedy material is created—using some “literary prose” approach complete with too many words, too much set-up, and an overuse of adjectives and adverbs—the aspects needed when you write for a reader to consume.

Hint: Talking tends to be much more economical (onstage or offstage) as far as word usage goes because other critical communication elements replace the additional words needed for a reader to consume written material (specifically—body language, facial expressions, voice inflection, and tone variations).

Remember These Key Points on Your Comedy Journey

As you continue on your journey to find out how to write stand-up comedy jokes, keep these things in mind:

1. You didn’t develop the comedy talent that you have by exchanging written notes with others—you did it by talking and expressing yourself with others in the way you have naturally learned to do.
   • The formula for your comedy talent is simple yet powerful:

     Comedy Talent = Sense of humor + How that sense of humor is expressed

2. What gives you the ability to make others laugh is not restricted to just the words and sentences that you use when you talk. It’s your entire delivery—how you move, speak, and engage with your audience.
3. You are not going to have more comedy talent than you have right now. The misconception is that you “acquire” the comedy talent needed to get the audience laughs you want. The truth is, you already possess the comedy talent—what changes over time are your reference points, experiences, and observations, which can provide new material. However, the ability to connect these dots and turn them into laughs…that’s a skill you already have.

The reality is that if you want to get the laughs you desire when you hit the stage, you need to be prepared to use all the comedy talent you already have in a way that has been refined, honed, and tightly “packaged” for audience consumption.

Experience Is the Best Teacher

But again—don’t take my word for it. Head over to your friendly neighborhood comedy open mic night and see for yourself if any of what I am presenting here is valid or not.

If I had advice to give, it would be this:

• Question what you know (or think you know) about how stand-up comedy material is developed for the stage (including information provided on this blog).
• Don’t abandon what you can see for yourself, discover for yourself, or already know about creating stand-up comedy material. (You know more than you think you do.) Develop material that will work for you based on the comedy talent that you have already developed.
• Know (and have confidence in) what you are doing at every stage in the development of your comedy material. Professionally prepare to deliver that material so that you can reap the best possible laughter results when you hit the stage.

If you have gotten this far, hopefully, you can understand why I simply can’t tell you how to “write” stand-up comedy “jokes” with some sort of “standard” one-size-fits-all “writing” approach—there’s way too much missing information about you and how you “roll” to even begin.