The number crunchers are definitely a challenge. I generally write a "normal" joke and then twist it around into the number crunchers format, which seems to work.
Sent in one sketch, 3 one liners and 3 number crunchers this week. A mixed bag but hopeful for a couple of them. We shall see - good luck everyone!
I fear I may have put all my comedic eggs into one basket this week by sending two sketches about Boris Johnson.
I also sent the full quota of gags and number crunchers (only two of which were about the bumbling tit)
Fingers crossed everyone
Thanks for the warning notjosh!
It seems to be okay now. Got an autoreply anyway...
Just got the oneliners off. Came up with one for Morrissey being on Twitter that I was very proud of, then I quickly check Twitter and Michael Legge has just done the same joke. Damn those professional comedians for being funny randomly on social media. It's like they don't need to submit to open door shows on digital radio stations or something.
Quote: Stobbart42 @ 19th September 2017, 1:15 AMI only sent three one-liners. I just can't make numbers funny, man.
Tell me about it. The best ones I could come up with were:
25%: The number of England's secondary schools that do not offer religious education.
100%: The number of secondary school pupils who take a Catholic position on condoms.
72: The average age of a Conservative Party member.
72: The percentage of members who'll perish if there's a particularly cold winter.
I only submitted the second one. Might even get the hang of it by the last episode. 
Does anyone order one liners by how good you think they are? ie best one at the top and so on? Just wondering if the first one's rubbish if they lose interest.
@Goalo: I don't think it matters in a trio, a really good gag will stand out providing the reader isn't nodding off or has one eye on the biscuit tin 
For info: the number of submissions has dropped by about 10% from last week. Sketches down from 650 to 520 and one liners from 770 to 700.
Quote: Mike X @ 19th September 2017, 11:36 PMFor info: the number of submissions has dropped by about 10% from last week. Sketches down from 650 to 520 and one liners from 770 to 700.
In the past, they've suggested you've got more chance of being successful if you send stuff in after the first episode because the number of submissions drops significantly, but I'd have thought most of those who drop out would be the same people who put least effort into their work, and if this is the case, the most competitive contributors would remain. It might be worth showing this chart again:
Interesting stuff. Where does all this info come from?
Incidentally, the only two one liners I've ever had on were both on the opening episodes to new series. If first episodes really are the most popular for submissions, I must have been beating the odds (more than usual).
Follow Newsjack on Twitter. Lots of useful info and they're good at answering questions.
Anyone going to the recording tonight? We love all that juicy advance info!
Quote: Goalo @ 19th September 2017, 2:44 PMDoes anyone order one liners by how good you think they are? ie best one at the top and so on? Just wondering if the first one's rubbish if they lose interest.
I'd always say put your strongest gag at the top of each section (obviously you can't put your best Number Cruncher at the top of the Breaking News section). Think about reading through literally hundreds of these documents, you're going to be very influenced by what you read first and if it's "ok" you're going to sigh a little and read on quickly, if it's "superb" you're going to perk up and pay a little more attention to the others.
I know it's only 6 per document to read but when you multiply that up several hundred times you want to do the best to give yourself the edge.
Of course what you think might be your best and what NJ think your best is might not necessarily be the same!
Quote: Chris Hallam @ 20th September 2017, 8:30 AMInteresting stuff. Where does all this info come from?
Incidentally, the only two one liners I've ever had on were both on the opening episodes to new series. If first episodes really are the most popular for submissions, I must have been beating the odds (more than usual).
It's also the case that the script editors change each week so it could be your sense of humour chimes more with the script editors in ep 1. But however you look at it an ep. 1 credit is a very good achievement!
Sent off a full quota of one-liners this week!
Quote: Mike X @ 20th September 2017, 9:23 AMAnyone going to the recording tonight? We love all that juicy advance info!
I am! Will report back with as much as I can remember 
Quote: DuckingAround @ 20th September 2017, 11:24 AMSent off a full quota of one-liners this week!
I am! Will report back with as much as I can remember
Woohoo! Looking forward to your findings!
J x
