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these nights anyone can turn up and try out their comedy on an eagerly awaiting audience. These are an ideal place to start because you're performing to a crowd who are looking to be entertained. Although you won't be paid you'll gain valuable performing experience.

If you live in a smaller town or don't have access to a comedy club then many regular bars and clubs often have talent nights featuring a range of acts. This is also a good place to start and they're likely to be open to including comedians since many a comedian, just starting out began in bars and clubs.

If you're getting a good response from all of these avenues and people are laughing at your jokes, enjoying what you do then you'll want to start thinking about working as a paid stand-up comedian, earning money for appearances.

In the beginning you'll probably have to handle bookings for your act yourself. This involves researching venues and looking for what kind of talent/show their audience is interested in. You probably won't want to carry a whole show yourself (and you're unlikely to get this opportunity as an unknown) but if you look around for variety shows that regularly rotate their acts you may get a regular five to ten minute spot that pays.

Once you're at this point in your career you should continue to network and continue to look for bigger and better paying opportunities. It's not all jokes and laughter. Be prepared to do a lot of work behind the scenes, all the while working on new material to keep your show fresh.

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