The Complete Idiot's Guide to Comedy Writing
Comedy is serious business-and serious money. In this guide, comedian, writer, and teacher Jim Mendrinos explains the principles of comedy and how to apply them to forms from stand-up to sitcoms- including fiction, film, speeches, articles, essays, and more. He also includes exercises designed to hone the craft, break through writer's block, and tailor a piece to its intended audience.
Search in google:
Comedy is serious business-and serious money. In this guide, comedian, writer, and teacher Jim Mendrinos explains the principles of comedy and how to apply them to forms from stand-up to sitcoms- including fiction, film, speeches, articles, essays, and more. He also includes exercises designed to hone the craft, break through writer's block, and tailor a piece to its intended audience.
Part 1Finding the Funny11What's Funny?3The Many Faces of Comedy4Comedy for the Page5Comedy for Ensemble Performers8Comedy for One12Common Threads in All Comedy132You Are Funny15Why People Laugh15Growing a Funny Bone19Keeping Track of It All21What Makes You Laugh?233Looking for the Funny25Inspiration vs. Perspiration25The Best Places to Find Comedy Ideas28Examine Each Situation for Comedy Potential304Types of Comedy33Humor Has Categories34Stand-Alone Jokes35Story Jokes37Physical Jokes39Character Jokes40Part 2Basic Comedy Construction435Building a Laugh45The Universal Joke Formula45Premise: The Subject47Point of View: How You See It49The Twist: Getting to the Humor51Keeping the Comedy Visual566Comedy Writing Rules59Clarity Is Everything59End on a Trigger62Go All the Way62Soul-Searching Comedy63It's All About Emotions64Stay on Topic64Make It Matter657Know What You're Talking About67The Premise68Research Everything71The Subject Isn't the Subject72Funny Focus72Organizing All This Information74Be Sure You're Sure About the Joke758Exploring Your Point of View77POV Defines Comedic Voice77Basic Emotions79Don't Suck, Part Two82Try Something New859Let's Twist Again87Choosing the Right Twist87Surprise!90Mix It Up92Clear Twists92Twists on Top of Twists9310Congratulations! It's Funny95Putting Together the Elements95Matching Your Joke to Your Comedy Style97Fine-Tuning Your Presentation98Keep Going: Write Every Day100Part 3The Art of Comedy Writing10311Long-Form Comedy105Turning One-Liners into Bits105Writing with Speed109Stories111Story Revision116Stories for Jokers116Exercise: Make It Longer11612Comedy Is Life119Finding Common Ground with Your Audience119Changing Attitudes122Nothing Is Too Obscure123Stay Involved123Don't Lie ... Well ... Only Lie a Little12613It's All About the Words129Keep the Language Simple130Use Language as Art130Use Your Words to Create a Rhythm131Write In Silence and Physical Movement132Keep It Clean13314Going All the Way137Don't Hold Back Anything137Accentuate the Positive139Eliminate the Negative140Don't Mess with Mr. In-Between141This Sucks141Part 4The Craft of Comedy Writing14315Learning to Let Go145Ready to Edit?145Give It a Little Tweak146Addition by Subtraction146Long-Form Editing147Apply for Your Artistic License15216Everything Old Is New Again155Comedy Is a Work in Progress155This Old Joke159The Changing Order of Things160"This Bit Just Might Work If I Change ..."161Exercise: Long-Lost Laughter16217Who's Going to Laugh at This?163Relating to Your Audience163Cater, Don't Pander164Edgy Humor166Topical Joke or Cheap Shot?168Staying Unique16918Not All Jokes Work Everywhere171Does It Have a Pulse?172Styles Define Markets172There's Room for Every Joke173The Square Peg Meets the Round Hole174The A to Z of Saleable Comedy17419Preparing to Be Professional181Keeping Your Ideas Current181Knowing What Ideas to Develop Next182Money for Funny184Buyers and Bloodsuckers18720If It's Funny, It's Money193Action!193Selling Your Screenplay194Selling Sitcoms199The Allure of Greasepaint199Chapter One201More Funny Books202The Real Story203Comedy Delivered to Your Door205Psst, Hey Buddy, Wanna Buy a Joke?206Comics and DJs and Hosts--Oh My!207Speakers Say the Funniest Things207Odds and Ends208First Contact208Part 5Different Jokes for Different Folks21121Comedy on the Page213Did You Hear the One About214Stop the Presses!217A Fictional Accounting219The Sunday Funnies224The Caption Reads22722Sitcoms229How Sitcoms Work229Structuring Your Spec-Script236Formatting Your Spec-Script238Spec-Scripts vs. Pilots241Outlines and Treatments243The Show Bible244Using Your Spec-Script24623Ensemble Comedy249Sketch This250Funny in Film254Curtain Up259Funny for Two26624Solo Comedy Professionals269"Hey, It's Great to Be Here Tonight ..."269Hey Mr. DJ!274Hereeeeee's Johnny!274Specialty Acts27525Adding a Dash of Funny277Speech! Speech!277From the Dais280Cheers!282Corporate Comedy Writing282Final Thoughts283AppendixesAGlossary285BSomething to Do Every Day291CWhere to Go for Help307DAnnotated Taina Script311Index319
