Comedic writing

<big><big>Comedic Writing</big></big>
"I take the same approach to writing a comic as writing a script; I flesh it out panel by panel, page by page, rather than doing a plot and letting the artist break it down. Not because I don't think the artist can or should, but because I just don't know how to write it any other way. I need to see it in my head, shot for shot, or I can't follow or create the narrative."
J. Michael Straczynski on writing comics, March 2000
Writing comics is not easy. It takes determination, perseverance and lots of practice, whether you're an aspiring writer or artist. If you didn't already know it, there is one heck of a lot of people out there who think they have what it takes as a writer or an artist to make it in the industry. The fact that 95 per cent of these people haven't got a clue is neither here nor there. These 95 per cent are the ones who bombard editors both in the UK and the US with their work, without undertaking the basics that every comic’s editor wants to see.
If you want to shine in the unsolicited slush pile your work must be polished, take on board the current trends in the market and particularly those of the company you're aiming at. It has to be something the editor wants to see, be they working on Thomas the Tank Engine or 2000AD. And on that subject, be prepared for the inevitable possibility that you're more likely to get work on a junior title than the dizzying heights of the titles your regularly read. Many an artist and writer I worked with on Marvel UK titles such as Death's Head II, Warheads and Overkill etc. learnt their trade writing or drawing The Real Ghostbusters and Thundercats. Grant Morrison started his career by writing Zoids, among other things. If you're self-employed and still learning, nothing should be beneath you.
<big>Comedy Writing: Tips and How To's</big>
Pick a kind of comedy. When you're going to write a comedic piece an editorial, a sitcom script, a comedic short story zero in on the kind of humor you want to use and stick with it. What kinds of comedy might you choose from? There's slapstick like the Three Stooges' humor. There's parody like "The Colbert Report." There's dark humor like some of the Coen Brothers' movies. There's edgy humor like Leary's. There's family humor like you'd find in Disney films. There's dry, observational humor as in "Seinfeld." There are many possibilities out there to consider. So how do you choose? Well, think of what makes you laugh. If you don't make yourself laugh, you may not end up making anyone else laugh either. Whatever type of comedy you pick be consistent within a piece. Think of how you feel when a great comedy suddenly gets dramatic. Well, if you switch from slapstick to dry and sophisticated humor, or vice versa, your audience may have that same feeling.
Use conflict. They say anger is at the center of all comedy. This doesn't mean you need to be a raging psycho to write comedy well. It usually does mean, when a person writes something comedic, that they're addressing a conflict in a way that's funny, maybe because it's easier or more personally satisfying to do it that way, or maybe because we humans for some reason find conflict funny. What's the Three Stooges, really, other than guys getting mad at each other and smacking each other around? What's "The Daily Show," other than comics ranting - granted, in a subdued and ironic fashion - about the ineptitude of government. A situation comedy almost always features a "situation" that's a conflict. So how do you use this reality to write comedy? In whatever you're writing, find the conflict in there and play on the obstacles. Your character can't get his cat out of a tree. Maybe this launches into physical comedy as he tries to climb the tree. Maybe it prompts some dry humor as he talk’s philosophy to the cat. Maybe his neighbor gets annoyed and comes out with a shotgun and suddenly, it becomes a passage about dealing with people with guns. It's up to you. But find the conflict, the anger, the thing that doesn't work, and find the humor in observing it, fixing it, fighting it, ignoring it or dealing with it. And then add more conflict and start over again.
Know when and how to exaggerate. "More" is usually better with comedy. If you're writing a story or play with a tone encompassing dry humor or realistic humor, a shotgun would be better, because the exaggerated visual of the rocket launcher doesn't fit that tone. However, that doesn't mean exaggeration shouldn't be used in less cartoonish humor; it should be used in way that's appropriate to what you're writing. Exaggeration can be tricky. We've all seen comedy go overboard and end up in the "too much" category. So as you make choices in your writing, ask yourself, "Could I take this one step further to make it a little funnier? Or if I do something else, will it start going downhill."
Choose your words carefully. Your job as a writer of comedy is always to maximize the comedic impact, find what's funniest. Don't let your punch line stand at the first version you devise. When you find your novel's main character in a funny situation, consider if there's something even funnier out there he could do. Don't be satisfied by "sort of funny." Writers are always tweaking their work comedy writers are not the exception.
Watch the timing. In some ways, talking about comedic timing is somewhat important; it's sort of an explicable thing. But timing is crucial to comedy. Ask anyone who's laughed at a "spit take" or said, "That punch line didn't work at all..." Sometimes, timing is a matter of drawing something out until it's at its funniest possible point. Other times, it means knowing when to quit. Timing will depend on the kind of comedy you're pursuing, sometimes. A sarcastic piece might require carefully plotted repetition of ideas. Or if you're doing slapstick, you might need to keep the physical comedy going rapid fire up to the "big payoff" moment, whatever that may be. In any case, it's important to realize that when you say something (or have a character say it) is often just as important as what is said. Analyze your favorite comedy routines in film or TV, or read plays and comedic books and see how they use timing to their advantage
Comedy Writing Secret #1: The sentences above are broken up by my own natural breath pauses (when we speak, we DON'T talk to the end of a sentence if it's a long sentence. It is broken up with natural breath pauses).A big factor in comedy writing and editing stand-up comedy material is to capture your own natural speaking rhythm when you are writing your comedy material down on paper.
Comedy Writing Secret #2: The delivery of this bit is critical to its ability to generate the big laugh. An attitude of shear disbelief will probably get the greatest laughter response when delivering this stand-up comedy skit.
Comedy Writing Secret #3: In order to get the maximum laughter from this bit, it will be important that there is a 1-2 second pause after this line
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