How To Write Comedy: Discover the building blocks of sketches, jokes and sitcoms – and make them work

by Tony Kirwood

First you have to come out with a flow of ideas and decide which ones will work. Then you must give them a tight structure, and then write crisp dialogue which builds in constant laughs. This practical but inspirational book guides new and more experienced writers step by step through the process of each comedy genre. It gives space for your creativity to shine as you gradually build your skills.

Beginning with sketches, the basic building blocks of comedy, you’ll find how you can quickly create great premises, and then structure them into two-minute slices of hilarity. The same techniques will help you write a string of jokes and one-liners.

· A practical guide to comedy as you write it, from creating mindmaps from which to glean your new material, to techniques of structure, characterisation and dialogue which work.
· Covers the distinct techniques and mindsets needed by each genre in turn, in the usual progression of a writer’s career - from jokes and sketches to sitcoms.

You’ll also learn how to find outlets for your work, from submitting to the BBC to staging your own show or filming comedy for the internet.

Genres: Writing

209 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2014

Reviews

[Josh Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative look into how to write comedy with some great practical advice and tools... If you are interested then it comes highly recommended

[Rich B · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those books that does exactly what it says on the cover.

It focuses specifically on jokes, sketches and sitcoms, but gives you a lot of broader tips about comedy too. It's a very practical, hands-on book with prompts, exercises and examples that would give you ideas on how to write funny in those 3 areas.

It also has a lot of practical advice on "being" a comedy writer, such as who to contact and work with and how to find professional and practical support.

It's UK-focused, so if you're not from there, it might not all be relevant, but you'll get the gist no matter what, and the principles it outlines could apply to other countries too - you might just need to search out your local equivalent of the UK organisations he mentions.

It's an easy read, clearly written and helpful. Occasionally, the advice is a little obvious, and it doesn't go deep into what makes a piece of comedy writing super successful, but there are plenty of good ideas in here, and I enjoyed reading this. 

[Salli]

It seems that the basis of good comedy is the same as all writing, plot, character, story, etc. If you want to learn how ot write well simply a very good book basic even if you aren't interested in comedy.

[Grigori Paslari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good summary of key points