British Comedy Guide

National Sketch Writing Month

Crap website, cool idea.

One sketch a day for 30 days. If you sign up, you get to read everyone else's efforts too.

http://www.naskewrimo.org/

Thanks but I'm a more 'pay me now for my effort don't think I'm doing this for fun' kind of guy. But I know some people do it. For fun that is.

Crap idea, crap site, but some pretty good sketches on there if you hunt around. Clearly written more by film school types, but interesting.

Jenny if you want to stretch your sketch writing chops, get thee to criituqe.

Just had a quick look at this, not spending too much time there. I am interested, though, in the software they suggest, designed for film/audio writing- Celtx, 'free' for PC/Mac and mobile...

Just linking to it now- has anyone tried it? Or is already old hat?

Whistling nnocently

I'm going to edit my own post here- I've got the basic registration, and of course, it is a limited free trial, $10/month thereafter. Probably useful for that, if you need it. The app on Google Play seems similarly limited to the desktop subscription, a bit like Spotify.

Celtx is great. A bit buggy, but great.

Quote: sootyj @ September 5 2013, 2:14 PM BST

Jenny if you want to stretch your sketch writing chops, get thee to criituqe.

My chops are sadly already full, but thanks :)

Quote: Jennie @ September 5 2013, 4:24 PM BST

My chops are sadly already full

Are you a hamster?

Quote: sootyj @ September 5 2013, 2:14 PM BST

Crap idea

To be fair the idea is purely to create an incentive to write sketches.

I know some people who write but only get around to doing so if a deadline is looming, and, even though it's no more meaningful than a self-imposed deadline, NaSkeWriMo and NaNoWriMo get them writing.

So you may not need it but I can see that the idea works for some.

Sketch writing is great, as are contests. I think the BCG skit comp is the best version I've seen.

But encouraging 20 or so people to write 30 skits, means that anyone wanting to take part as a reader, feedbacker needs to 600. Which no one except lifers in solitary will do.

Especially as there's no prize, not even being chosen as the best writers.

Hence why I said it's a crap idea.

Quote: sootyj @ September 9 2013, 10:55 AM BST

But encouraging 20 or so people to write 30 skits, means that anyone wanting to take part as a reader, feedbacker needs to 600. Which no one except lifers in solitary will do.

But it's not after feedback. You don't even have to post your sketches anywhere - just state that that you've written them.

It's not trying to help improve people as writers other than helping give them a slight nudge to write.

If you already write lots then it's not really aimed at you and you've no reason at all to do it.

Much as NaNoWriMo just wants you to write 50,000 words without having to publish them. The reward/prize is that hopefully the participants get an indefinable 'something' out of it.

Quote: sootyj @ September 9 2013, 10:55 AM BST

Sketch writing is great, as are contests. I think the BCG skit comp is the best version I've seen.

The skit comp is great - but comparing it with NaSkeWriMo is comparing apples to oranges.

They're both fruit

Quote: sootyj @ September 9 2013, 4:28 PM BST

They're both fruit

My mistake - I meant comparing Apple inc. to oranges.

I agree with Dave. Th purpose of the scheme, like the novel writing one, is to get people writing something, anything. We can't all be as prolific as you, Soots.

I think writing sketches is brilliant; they're the big brothers of jokes and the little sisters of sitcoms and screenplays.
If you can write a sketch you can write pretty much any kind of comedy.
But if you try and write sketches for fun, on the basis of 30 in a row you'll burn yourself out. Especially if there's no reward or feedback, it seems like negative exercise in literary masturbation.
I got prolific by bathing my efforts in the warm sunlight of my colleagues opinions.

Quote: sootyj @ September 9 2013, 7:13 PM BST

If you can write a sketch you can write pretty much any kind of comedy.

Outrageous!

Well a joke is a little sketch, a sitcom is a big sketch, you know character, theme, story, punchline, beginning middle and end etc

Obviously subtleties, but a joke that's just a silly idea rarely works. Nor does a sitcom that aimlessly wonders about.

I love sketches, love them.

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