Quick and Dirty Guide to Writing Your First Stand-Up Comedy Set
The experience of trying stand-up is akin to skydiving for the first time. You can try your best to prepare, but at some point you have to close your eyes and take the jump. That being said, here is a quick and dirty guide to writing your first stand-up set courtesy of the fine writers at The Comedy Writers And Consultants, Inc.
1.) Find a comedy community and an open mic
Every city in America has a comedy scene as well as many towns – villages, we’re not sure – and you can find most by looking up a Facebook group. Usually, comedians will post about open mics and local shows on that page. Also, check out badslava.com and in the Chicago area, instagram.com/chicago.openmics. Once you find an open mic that looks of interest, put the date in your calendar, and stick to that. The deadline will help you take the first step in putting your set together. In this case, it’s the dread that will help you get ahead.
2.) Write your first set out word for word
Writing out your first set word for word will help you visualize your set, see your jokes on paper, and anticipate where you’re going to get your laughs. Once you get on stage you can leave that or reduce your monologue down to a set list (a few words for the main parts of the bits). Additionally, having a transcription of your bits allows you to come back and add riffs as they come to you.
3.) Rehearse and read your bits aloud
When you get on stage you don’t want to read your entire set word for word verbatim. While it is absolutely acceptable to reference a set list, the more you practice the more comfortable you’ll be once you’re on stage. (Bonus Tip: we’ve found audio recording your set and listening back to it several times to hear how it sounds can also help this process.)
4.) Note your physicality
Stand-Up Comedy and music are alike in many ways. In music you have a rhythm and a melody. In stand-up the melody is the words, or the jokes on paper, and the rhythm is your physicality and cadence. Without a rhythm, a song becomes a collection of unsorted notes; the same phenomenon is true with stand-up. This isn’t to say that every stand-up needs to be the most exuberant, out of this world character. But, making the conscious choice and deciding your physicality can greatly improve your jokes.
5.) Use the fewest words possible to get to your punchline
Mark Twain once said, “If I had more time I would have written something shorter.” When you’re crafting your bits, think about every single word that you have, every breath that you make on stage, and consider if it serves the purpose of the joke. Is it leading toward laughter? If not, then cut it.
6.) End with the joke
Read your joke and if it doesn’t end with the punchline, rearrange it. This may seem straightforward, but take another look and see if you can apply this obvious improvement.
7.) Punch up
“Punching up” is a comedy term meaning that you want to punch (or make the target of the joke) the people that deserve it. Essentially, make fun of the CEO and not the homeless person. Excellent comedians can walk the tightrope, but punching down can not only ruin your set, but also make you seem like a huge asshole.
8.) Lower the stakes and have fun
There is nothing more anxiety-inducing than speaking in public, let alone trying to make people laugh with material that you wrote. You have a knack for humor. And that’s why you’re even thinking about starting to try stand-up in the first place. Yeah. Suffice to say, if you’re looking for the knitting blog you took a wrong turn. It takes decades for people to create any sort of career in performing so for your first set lower the stakes. Don’t worry about having a perfect set. Actually, don’t worry at all! Prepare as best you can, relax, and just have fun with it!
If you feel like you’re spinning your wheels and could use a comedy coach to help with your stand-up set or material, consider hiring us to help you develop your comedic voice and your first hilarious stand-up set.