You really should try your hand, and your pen, or your keyboard, at writing comedy. When writing comedy, it’s just fine to believe in your own instincts, and to step out on a limb a bit. Comedy requires the writer to engage in risk. As long as it’s all in good fun, the risks are usually alright, and fairly safe. It really is important to be patient when writing comedy. If you rush into it, you have very little chance of being funny. Creativity is a process that comes and goes in flashes. Take advantage of the flash, and do not force it when there is no flash to be had. It’s always a good idea to create a portfolio of material, so that during down creative times, you will always have something ready, and a supply to draw from.
One of the awesome things about writing, is that you can do it anywhere, anytime. All you ever need is a pen, and a note pad. When a great comedy idea flashes into your head, it’s time to write and do some quick development of the joke. Even if it is just a one sentence idea, write it down. The next flash may develop it sooner. Not long ago i read an article about a famous song writer who said he wrote some songs in a minute, and others took months, and he had no idea why. Yet he did admit, once he stopped judging himself, and stated writing when the flashes came, he wrote more songs, and experienced much less in the way of lost material via failed memory because he wrote down everything as it came to him, no matter how small the lines.
Reading also helps with writing. Find comedy scripts to read if you can. Just the act of reading will help shape your own writing technique naturally with no fear of copying anyone. If your material is unique, using structure found in other works is not plagiarism. Reading another person’s work that then helps you experience fresh and unique content, is not an act of theft. Go ahead and read joke books, scripts, books on comedy, whatever interests you. Just stay honest, and it will always be just fine.
When the day comes that you put forth the effort to get paid for some of your comedy writing, you must have plenty of material. Never neglect your portfolio. When selling comedy, you have no right to decide what makes another person laugh. Have extra material always, you may need it. Never neglect the small opportunities. Jump at whatever comes your way as things sometimes grow quickly and unexpectedly. Always have sufficient examples of your writing available to pass out to people in the business. You never can say when the phone will ring.
Last but not least, have fun. It’s all good when you are having fun. I know of people that have had great times taking writing classes for comedy. Try it, you have no idea who you will meet or what may happen during the class time. Send copies of your short work to alternative newspapers
, see if you can get a funny story published.
Just go for it. That’s what all artists do.
