How to Master Classic Joke Structure
Everyone wants to be the "funny guy" or "funny girl" in his or her group of friends, the one who is known for their ability to make their friends laugh at a moment's notice. However, we've all had experience with that guy who thinks he can make people laugh, but fails miserably. By following a few steps, you can get on the road to becoming the "funny one" as opposed to the one everyone just feels embarrassed for.
Instructions
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1
Work on the set-up, also sometimes referred to as "The Premise." This is where every joke begins. It sets the stage and lets your audience know where you'll be taking them on the road to the laugh. It can be as simple as "A guy walks into a bar..." or "So I was in the grocery store the other day..." It should never be longer than it needs to, though. If you use 10 words when you only need to use 5, you're delaying getting to the laugh.
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2
Work on storytelling. While it's not necessary for every joke, a funny story can go a long way towards getting people to laugh. Be careful when telling your story--it cannot just be a much longer set-up to get to the punchline. If you're telling a funny story about your trip to the doctor's office, make sure there are little mini-jokes sprinkled throughout before you get to your big main laugh at the end.
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3
Master the punchline. The punchline is the payoff to every joke, and it is the main laugh of the piece. It's the reward for your audience for listening to you talk for so long. If the punchline isn't a good one, they're not going to laugh and will think less of you. But a good punchline can win over your audience.
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4
Work on "Callbacks." Callbacks are when a comedian tells a joke early in their act with a specific punchline, and then later on in the act tells a different joke with a different setup but the same punchline. This lets an audience refer back to the original joke which they theoretically liked, lets them laugh at it again, as well as lets them laugh at this new joke. Using callbacks effectively--that is, not using them too often--can really benefit a stand-up act.
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5
Work on timing. Timing is the pace of your joke. Good timing can make or break what you're trying to accomplish. Even a good joke can be derailed because of bad timing. Work on adding pauses to increase effect.
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