by Roger Blazic

Created on: August 05, 2010

Comedy is subjective. No comedian or comedy sketch writer can make everyone laugh. All comedic acts find their audience and then deliver what works best for that audience. Your goal as a comedy writer is to create mental pictures in the minds of the audience. If the audience can visualize what you just said, you have a much better chance of making them laugh.

Know your audience

In Jack Benny’s autobiography, he said that for years he and his writers tried to venture away from the jokes that revolved around his frugality, but the audience would not buy the new material. He finally succumbed and said, “I’ll just give them more of the same.”

Writing great comedy requires that you know your audience. Below, I will explain in more detail how you have to write differently for different audiences.

Get a notebook or word processor

Every great comedy writer puts their thoughts down on paper.

A story about Jay Leno that was related to me by a fellow comedian on the road was if Leno saw a young comedian in a comedy club without a notebook, he wouldn’t talk to him. Serious comedy writers know that every word counts. Being able to review the material, word-by-word, is critical for success. Your objective is to create the tightest material you possibly can. A comedy mantra I’ve always heard from writers, “You can always cut something.”

A friend of mine in St. Louis was Jackie Mason’s driver for a week. Mason had my friend drive him to the comedy club where Jackie would sit all day and write. My friend asked him, “Why do you write so much? You have tons of great material.” Jackie replied, “Having great comedy club material is fine. But if you want to perform on Broadway, every joke has to be a diamond.” Mason spent hours every day searching for diamonds.

As a comedy writer, you have several variables you need to consider before you begin penning material.

Where will the material be performed?

If you are writing a monologue that will appear on mainstream television, the material must be clean and crisp. Television comedy sets tend to be 2-3 minutes long. There is no time for long setups. Getting to the punch line quickly is imperative.

If you are writing for a corporate event or a roast, there may be material that is off limits. Or some material might be deemed as offensive to those in attendance. Doing advance research by questioning the host or overseer of the event will help keep you

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