Hello 
,
Can anyone recommend any good books on sketch writing?
I don't seem to be able to find any? Are there none?
Have I found a gap in the market? Should I write one quickly?
Books on sketch writing
You're probably better off buying books of scripts for your favourite sketch shows and reading them until your brain melts.
I really don't think, even presuming there are any, there's any point in reading boooks on sketch-writing. It's very different to sitcom writing. To be honest, you shouldn't need to be taught technique when it comes to sketch. Like others say, best to watch a lot of classic sketch stuff and analyse it in terms of how they are constructed.
John Vorhaus - The comic toolbox.
Highly recommended.
Quote: Griff @ May 18 2008, 10:26 AM BSTAlthough there aren't that many available in print - Little Britain, League of Gentlemen, Monty Python, Catherine Tate is all I can think of ?
Everything Ronnie Barker wrote, most of Peter Cook's stuff ... I'm sure there are others.
Phill's guide is good: http://phillbarron.wordpress.com/2007/03/31/how-to-write-sketches-part-one/
I've got Ronnie Barker, Peter Cook and Fry & Laurie scripts which are fantastic examples.
Quote: ContainsNuts @ May 18 2008, 12:20 PM BSTPhill's guide is good: http://phillbarron.wordpress.com/2007/03/31/how-to-write-sketches-part-one/
Yeeeeeeeaaah ... I'm not to be trusted though, I hope people realise that. Pretty much every sketch I write for Treason Show or NewsRevue gets performed; but beyond that ... not so good.
Not sure there are many 'how to' books on this; and do you really need one? A sketch can only be a page long, you dont need all the skills and knowledge you would to start writing a sitcom. The best advice is to just watch sketch shows and read books of sketches, such as some of the ones already mentioned, then just write. The first few will be rubbish then, if youre any good at it, theyll get better.
Quote: Phill @ May 18 2008, 1:37 PM BSTYeeeeeeeaaah ... I'm not to be trusted though, I hope people realise that. Pretty much every sketch I write for Treason Show or NewsRevue gets performed; but beyond that ... not so good.
Mr Robertson seemed to agree with the theory you put forward and he is on everything - no really, he is.
Hang on Phill, are we in the right seats? I'm promoting your guide and you are critical of it? 
Quote: Matthew Stott @ May 18 2008, 1:40 PM BSTNot sure there are many 'how to' books on this; and do you really need one? A sketch can only be a page long, you dont need all the skills and knowledge you would to start writing a sitcom. The best advice is to just watch sketch shows and read books of sketches, such as some of the ones already mentioned, then just write. The first few will be rubbish then, if youre any good at it, theyll get better.
In other words: Watch and learn.
Very sound advice that can apply to most things.
Especially sex.
You're fairly accomplished already though, aren't you, Jdubya?
all great advice. And I love the John Vorhaus book. I was lucky enough to have a game of poker with him once (ooh get me).
I don't want to learn how to write sketches. I'm pretty okay with that. I was with a sketch show for a couple of years and I've written some for radio and telly. But I'm always interested in learning about other people's processes that's all. I was pretty surprised to see there weren't any books out there.
what he said
There are loads of books on comedy writing that include chapters on sketches.