The Difference Between Writing a Joke and Performing One
If you managed to find this article because you were interested in information on:
How to write a joke or how to write a stand-up comedy joke…
Let me ask you this question:
Are you trying to figure out how to write something that “reads” funny, or are you trying to figure out how to write something that is funny when you express it to an audience?
It’s a very important distinction because “writing” in a way that is designed to be “read” is very different than developing stand-up comedy material that is going to be communicated verbally to generate 4-6+ laughs per minute.
Audiences read books, articles, short stories, and greeting cards. They don’t read stand-up comedy material — they experience it as it is delivered.
Related Article: Are You Using A One-Dimensional Approach To A Three-Dimensional Performing Art?
But let me be more specific when it comes to the significant differences between comedy material that is designed to “read” funny and stand-up comedy material which is delivered and expressed live.
Three Key Differences Between Written and Performed Comedy
Maybe exposure to just these three stark differences between “writing” and communicating verbally will help you understand why “joke writing” in the literal sense, as it is taught and perceived today, simply DOES NOT WORK for most talented people on the stand-up comedy stage:
1. Formal Writing vs. Natural Speech
We are formally taught from a very early age how to “write” in a way that is designed to be “read” by others. However…
We are not formally taught how to speak or communicate verbally. Subsequently, there are numerous important individual nuances and non-verbal communication aspects that are used when we speak (and that significantly influence laughter response) that simply cannot be expressed in mere words and sentences alone as they are “written” on paper.
For example, the tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language all contribute to how a joke is received. These elements can dramatically change the impact of what is being said, which is something that plain text cannot convey.
2. Reading vs. Speaking Dynamics
In writing, we write from the beginning of a sentence to the ending punctuation of that sentence. We don’t have to pause to take a breath when we are reading.
That is not the case when we speak. This is a very important aspect to factor into stand-up comedy material, specifically when it comes to punchline frequency (number of laughs generated per minute).
The natural pauses, inflections, and rhythm of speaking are integral to comedy. Without these, a joke can fall flat or seem awkward, even if the written words are the same.
3. Brevity in Comedy Writing
Since writing is restricted to just words and sentences on paper — without the advantage of body language, facial expressions, voice, and tone changes to provide words their true context and meaning (as in speaking) — many more words are required to paint the visual picture needed in order to get to the funny part (punchline) of anything that is “written” and designed to be read.
In stand-up comedy, an economy of words is critical. Otherwise, the comedian will spend more time talking before punchlines and tag lines, which automatically diminishes their effectiveness on stage.
Whether it is “writing” material designed to be read or developing material that is designed to be delivered or expressed, any punchline is ONLY relative (or effective) to the information provided before the punchline.
In other words, the setup and the punchline are intrinsically linked, and understanding this relationship is crucial for both writing and performing comedy.
The Misconception of Writing Jokes for the Stage
Unfortunately, most people who are trying to find out how to write a joke are completely unaware of the critical differences between “writing” and speaking/expressing oneself as it relates to laughter generation.
They may spend hours crafting what they think are the perfect jokes, but when they take those jokes to the stage, they find that what was funny on paper doesn’t translate to live performance. This leads to frustration and self-doubt, not because they lack talent, but because they’re applying the wrong techniques to the wrong medium.
Why Written Jokes Often Fail on Stage
The reason is simple: Written jokes lack the dynamic elements of delivery. They are flat, one-dimensional, and devoid of the physical and vocal cues that give live comedy its punch.
To succeed on stage, comedians need to understand that writing for performance is about more than just words. It’s about timing, audience engagement, physicality, and the ability to read the room and adjust accordingly. Without these skills, even the best-written joke can flop.
Then, they simply get crushed on the stand-up comedy stage when their paper-written jokes flop miserably.
The best advice for any aspiring comedian is to focus less on writing jokes and more on developing their unique voice and delivery style. Remember, stand-up comedy is not a literary art—it’s a performing art.
By embracing this mindset, you can move beyond the limitations of written jokes and tap into the full range of comedic tools at your disposal.
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Here’s the bottom line:
If you are looking for a “one size fits all” approach or method when it comes to learning how to write single jokes one at a time, you will probably have much better luck trying to sneeze with your eyes open.
But don’t take my word it — get your hands on some of these popular books (#ad) on stand-up comedy and see if you can learn how to write jokes that will actually work for you on stage to generate big laughs.
I couldn’t show you how to write single jokes one at a time if my family was being held hostage — for the very reasons I have identified above.
But I can show you how to easily develop, structure and deliver stand-up comedy material based on your already developed sense of humor and comedy talent without having to struggle through writing jokes one at a time.
Every comedian has complete control over the process they use to develop their stand-up comedy material.
Every comedian also gets to take 100% responsibility when they hit the stage and can’t get the laughs needed to move ahead in stand-up comedy.
I submit to you that if you aren’t getting the laughter results you want with the process that you use to create your stand-up comedy material, you may want to seriously consider looking at using a different process to get the laughter results you want on stage.
Just remember that writing and talking are two very separate and distinct forms of communication. But until a comedian recognizes and capitalizes on the differences between these two different methods of communication…
Well, I guess they’re pretty much stuck with somehow trying figure out how to write jokes and not really understanding why they don’t (or won’t) work to get big laughs.
Very interesting and helpful points here. Surely, if you know your material well — I.e., you speak on topics personal and meaningful to you — you won’t need to rely on a script. You’ve made it quite clear in this article that there is indeed a vast difference between “writing an essay” and “developing a topic”. Thanks!
I enjoyed this article it was very helpful to me. My biggest problem is how to write standup comedy jokes. I have only got to do my standup routine one time and it went okay I am looking to do headliner stuff.. I really enjoy coming to your webpage every day and learning new things and getting new ideasl to break into this line of work.
Thank you for your time and support