EDITING YOUR COMEDY

Kill the Baby Before It Kills You Writers will always say they appreciate criticism. The good ones mean it. They know it’s a process. The rest say it out of politeness and a desire not to look precious. The curse of comedy is the act of cutting. It’s called ‘killing the baby’ for a reason,…

How To Write Jokes

CREATE A SURPRISE The primary reason for keeping jokes as brief as possible is to maintain surprise. While an audience listens to a joke, unconsciously their minds dart ahead to anticipate the punchline. With enough time, unless it’s a gob-smacking surprise, they may work out where the joke is going. Brevity keeps the teller one…