Category: Writing Tips
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How to Write a Joke
There are formulas for writing jokes. Experienced joke writers go through a systematic process to turn something like a news item into a sentence or two that will make people laugh. You may have heard that “Writing is rewriting.” That describes only part of the process. Writing a joke is first thinking of what to…
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How Jerry Seinfeld Writes a Joke, Revealed
Jerry Seinfeld appears in this frustrating New York Times video teasingly entitled “How to Write a Joke.” In the video he calls comedy writing “a secretive thing.” He also says about his handwritten draft of a bit revolving around Pop Tarts, “I’ve never shown anybody this stuff.” Jerry then proves how secretive he is by…
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How to Create Funny Products
Short-form comedy, the kind on comedy/talk shows, often turns up in consumer products. That’s why the same writing techniques used on late-night shows can also be used to create funny products like tee-shirts, bumper stickers, and novelty gifts. For example, here’s how I used late-night comedy writing techniques to create two greeting cards that the…