About Comedy Writing
Comedy writing is a complicated career to pursue. The truly great masters of comedy make something quite difficult that requires thought and planning appear natural and effortless. For that reason, comedy writers are sometimes forgotten. However, these creators of laughter play a very important role in the world of entertainment... and the happiness of viewers and audience members all over the world.
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Significance
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Comedy writing has been around in theater since theater's known origins. From slapstick to silent pictures, comedy was an integral part of attracting--and keeping--audience members. Comedy writers are needed for stage, film and television. Many novelists and essayists also choose to be comedy writers.
A comedy writer stays true to a storytelling format while injecting it with jokes, physical comedy, one liners, sarcasm and many other mechanisms to get a laugh or rise from the reader or viewer.
Types
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There are many types of comedy writing. A comedian who has performed in extremely different ways is Bob Saget. While starring as the clean-cut Danny Tanner on the series "Full House" and while hosting the family-friendly "America's Funniest Home Videos," he used clean humor that was suitable for the whole family. However, in his live stand-up acts, Saget gets down and dirty, sprinklilng what some call "R"-rated humor and jokes throughout his act. This can create confusion and anger for fans who show up expecting a different kind of show.
A comedy writer will usually find his knack and stick with it. There are as many different types of comedy writing as there are senses of humor. Comedy writer like Jerry Seinfeld wrote about the comedy of everyday life and wrote a show described as being about "nothing." Roseanne Barr rose to comedy writing fame by sticking close to her real personality. People appreciated her humor and jokes about being an ordinary person who tells it like it is.
Some comedy writers go for shock value. Some comedy writers--like those who work on "Saturday Night Live," the most successful sketch comedy show in U.S. history--will go for spoofing, mocking and imitating pop culture. Some comedy writers write only family friendly content, and some write specifically for an "adult" audience. The 1991 Steve Martin movie "Father of the Bride" is a great example of a laugh-out-loud movie that is hilarious, yet suitable for all ages.
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Identification
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The comedy writing career path has now expended to the Internet. There are careers to be had in writing comedy content online, including skits, jokes and humorous websites.
The Internet also plays an important part in career protection, promotion and establishment. The Comedy Writers Guild helps comedy writers connect to others in their field. It connects writers of stage, screen and television. You can find its link in the Resources section below.
Some comedy writers connect to their audience through Websites and online marketing tools like MySpace and Facebook. The social networking websites have an entire section devoted to comedians so that they can easily set up a website that connects them to fans and friends who are interested in following their careers.
Misconceptions
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Most forms of comedy--except, of course, specified improv--are written. Even stand-up comedy acts are written in advance. Those comedians don't come up with humor on the spot. Their act is often planned with a beginning, middle and end. Although a stand-up comedian wants to appear spontaneous and "real" with the audience, he must have a strong collection of comedy material to draw from that he has previously written or outlined in order to always remain strong and funny in front of a live audience.
Warning
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A comedy writer has to realize that perhaps half of his work--or more--will be thrown away. Jokes are hit and miss. Watch any light night talk show host, and you'll see that even jokes that pass the editor's cut still sometimes fall flat. The joke is in the ear of the beholder, and it takes a lot to produce genuine laughs. You have to get out all the jokes within in order to get to the funny stuff when writing comedy. One has to develop a thick skin when it comes to one's own comedy writing and learn to let things go if the audience or editor doesn't share the opinion of a story or joke.
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