British Comedy Guide

How do you know you're funny?

Hi, I'm new here, and I have a real problem with writer's remorse. It's a phrase that came from the depths of Google which means that everything you write, you hate.
If you do think you're funny, how do you know it? And, more importantly, any tips on how to stop myself deleting, binning or burning everything I write?
Many thanks!
And happy Valentine's day.

do you like to write, sketches or sitcom's or stand up or something else?, i started writing comedy, when i was tiny and at first i thought everything i wrote was gold, now when i look over the stuff i wrote in the first two weeks it is utter shat, if you don't think something has clicked then leave that part, start on something else and go back to it two or three days later and the solution (it could be a punchline, or a set-up) will pop out, i basically stuck with comedy and improved, you should have more confidence in your self, post something on here and get some feed back,

you know your funny when you get told your funny and also when you make strangers laugh.
have more confidence in yourself

Quote: lewisroberts @ February 14, 2007, 9:15 PM

you know your funny when you get told your funny and also when you make strangers laugh.

That's the first thing I learned when I sold the Big Issue.

Quote: Treenifer @ February 14, 2007, 8:51 PM

If you do think you're funny, how do you know it?

Hi Treenifer

Post in on the 'Critique' Forum and we'll tell you whether it's funny or not ;)

We're very nice and polite but we're all pretty much straight down the line so you'll find out whether it's funny or not.

Oh, and we'll give you advice if it's not funny. And, for as long as I've been contributing, I've never once seen advice that consisted of 'You're not funny. Give it up!'

Me and my writing partner wrote a sitcom pilot and went through it so many times that it wasn't remotely funny to us at all any more (they're not after 200+ reads!). Then a drama group acted it out for us and, guess what?, *we* laughed! At our *own* stuff! Being performed by someone else! That's one way anyway :)

Hope this helps and see you on that forum soon hopefully.

Dan

Thanks for the nice replies everyone! I expected everyone to jump and kill at the newbie :K

I'll write some stuff and post somethings on the Critique forum. If I ever get the confidence!

Thanks again!

I love comedy so much, I've thought "I would like to do that.". So I did and I got really good feedback from alot of different people. This tells me I'm doing a good job and I'll continue and hopefully get better.

i suffer the same thing. i decided to ignore it and keep at it, any part of my pilot i though was a teeny bit poor i re-wrote and re-wrote till i thought it was water tight, then i ignored my concerns and sent it off. now its being read by script supervisors, script editors and pdf agents, just do it. i used to write music and id tear my songs up the next morning. really regret it now. i wrote hunderds. keep it up and ignore your lack of confidence.
in the pub im the joker and the gag man, being able to write it,plan it and set up a perfect punchline, see it as powerfull and invigouratuing means of making people laugh. i do think tho theres no excuse for poor comedy writing, you have the means to write perfect gags. just be confident in your writing. the fact your here says alot. im here if u ever need help as im sure they all are here.

si
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