Comedy Writing Self-Taught Workbook: More than 100 Practical Writing Exercises to Develop Your Comedy Writing Skills [Paperback]

Can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. That's more than a joke; it's solid advice. Consider world-class performers in any field -- golf, figure skating, music, whatever. One thing you can safely say about each is that they achieved their level of skill through practice. To excel in any endeavor, you must work on and perfect your technique. Comedy writing is no exception. In this book, Emmy-winning TV writer and producer Gene Perret and professional writer Linda Perret have compiled a collection of over 100 comedy writing workouts that will challenge your joke writing skills and develop your sketch and sitcom writing abilities. This book suggests that talent is earned through observation, study, analysis, and repetition. The authors also encourage you to analyze your writing, discover where improvement is required, and create your own skill-creating exercises. The work can be demanding, but that's what it takes to become a success in any field, including comedy writing. If you study Comedy Writing Self-Taught Workbook -- with or without the companion volume, Comedy Writing Self-Taught -- when your break comes, you'll be ready.INTRODUCTION - 9 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK - 12 PART ONE – General Joke Writing - Exercises 1 to 24 - 19 EXERCISE 1 – COLLECT 50 GREAT ONE-LINERS - 20; EXERCISE 2 – CAPTIONING - 22; EXERCISE 3 – A LITTLE TOUGHER CAPTIONING - 24; EXERCISE 4 – CAPTIONING WORDS - 25; EXERCISE 5 – GATHERING REFERENCES - 27; EXERCISE 6 – IN THE NEWS - 29; EXERCISE 7 – TURN IDEAS INTO JOKES - 31; EXERCISE 8 – THE ALMOST RIGHT WORD - 33; EXERCISE 9 – IT’S ALL AROUND US - 36; EXERCISE 10 – INSPIRED BY LEGENDS -37; EXERCISE 11 – THAT MAKES PERFECT NONSENSE - 39; EXERCISE 12 – TAG THAT LINE - 40; EXERCISE 13 – SAY IT BY NOT SAYING IT - 42; EXERCISE 14 – OUTSIDE THE BOX - 44; EXERCISE 15 – SAME WORD – DIFFERENT MEANING - 47; EXERlãÎ