I have written poems, song lyrics and cartoon captions, etc, since I was seven. I'm now ten (mental age) so that's three years. It's actually more than forty years so I guess I haven't learnt much. The most money I have had from comedy is as part of The JunkMales when we won £500 from 4laughs (Channel 4 web site now defunkt) I did earn 'as much money as my day job' for a year playing music in a band at weekends, which was probably the best year of my life (save for wives and kids and family stuff) but it wasn't comedy although there were a lot of gags on stage (and off!)
I am probably/possibly not mercenary enough to make it, and I think you need to be, or very lucky, or know the right people. Or look good. Or sleep with The Producer, or whatever it takes to make it. Including, maybe, talent too?
I have a cartoon I drew that I think sums it up for many writers, I will try and post it in this thread BUT I'm not sure how???
Any advice on where to stick it?