Comedy is probably the most popular genre these days, which is not surprising! People always appreciate a good laugh, especially when their lives are complicated. So it’s no wonder that many writers want to succeed in comedy writing: it’s one of the best ways to earn money and make other people’s life better at the same time.
However, it is not easy to become a good comedy writer. Being a funny person is one thing, but being able to transfer your sense of humor to a piece of paper is completely another.
So how do you write a story that is really funny? With the help of learning and practice, of course! Make sure you follow these 5 simple steps of developing your own comedy writing strategy:
1) Think about the jokes
As I already mentioned above, even if you are funny, this does NOT mean you can write funny jokes. When you tell jokes to people, your mimics and intonation could do half of the work. So, when you write a joke instead of telling it, it might fall flat.
Be sure to structure your jokes well, mention all the important details and think about when to deliver the punchline for better effect. It’s also important not to overdo it with the jokes. There shouldn’t be too many of them, especially in the beginning.
TOP TIP: The jokes have to be well structured for the best effect.
2) Create a strong story
Be sure to create a story strong enough to catch the script reader’s attention: it will help to create the right impression and satisfy, even if not all of the jokes are strong or funny enough. It’s alright to work on the story first without focusing on the jokes: you can easily add them later. Honest guvnor!
TOP TIP: A good story matters just as much as the jokes.
3) Use someone else’s help
You might think that your writing is funny and your story is strong but how can you know for sure? There’s only one way to find this out: you should show your work to the others and find out how they react to it!
Moreover, you could use someone else’s help not only to find out whether your work is good or not, but also to make your story better.
TOP TIP: Ask others’ opinion — use peer review, or hire a script consultant like B2W.
4) Settle on your genre from the beginning
Different genres require a different amount of jokes – moreover, the types of jokes also differ depending on the genre. For example, if you write a romantic comedy, you do not have to overload it with lots of jokes and use black humour – most likely, it will look inappropriate. On the contrary, guy comedies usually require more jokes. That is why choosing a right genre is very important: this will allow you to write more comfortably.
TOP TIP: Know which genre you’re going for, right from the start.
5) Sweat the small stuff
Often the funniest jokes are written with the help of the certain comedic conventions and audience expectations. On this basis, it’s important to know them in order to create funny situations more easily.
For example, one of the best ways to make people smile is to deliver something they actually don’t expect at all. Another important thing here is to avoid the most obvious jokes and outright clichés: the ones that people had seen in so many movies and TV shows. You need to research what these are!!
TOP TIP: Know your comedy conventions and do your research.
Finally:
And, finally, the last tip that doesn’t concern the whole writing process, but still could affect your work and the future writings greatly.
Once you’ve finished and polished your script, be sure to assign a read-through with the actors. When comedy is so reliant on delivery, this is a MUST-HAVE in your writer’s arsenal when writing comedy. MORE: 7 Steps to Organise Your Own Script Read-Through
Good luck!
BIO: Kevin Nelson started his career as a research analyst and has changed his sphere of activity to writing services and content marketing. Apart from writing, he spends a lot of time reading psychology and management literature searching for the keystones of motivation ideas. Feel free to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin.
More about comedy on B2W:
Spotlight On Sitcom Structure: 6 Tips For Writers
Top 5 Mistakes Comedy Writers Make
Genre or Die: How To Write Romantic Comedy
