Non-performer writing for stand-up

Apologies if there is already a thread on this topic; I did look but couldn't see anything that answered my question. Which is...

How would one go about writing or contributing material for another person's stand up act?
I know that stand ups need to develop their own identity, but I also think I'm correct that many well-established stand ups have one or two people that they collaborate with. So is there a particular stage at which this becomes acceptable?
I'm fascinated by the process of creating and maintaining a comedic on-stage persona but have absolutely no desire to be looked at myself!

In my experience it is very rare for a non-performer to write for a stand up nowadays.

Most comics write their own material and if they do have anyone writing for them they are generally other stand ups who they collaborate with.

Even as a performer myself I've found it extremely hard to find stand ups willing to buy jokes, although I have written for a couple of other acts and been asked to "gag up" some others routines.

Your best best is to try to make a name for yourself as a writer, use twitter or a blog to showcase your writing, send stuff off to radio shows and commercial stations, greetings card companies, write sketches, submit stuff to "Newsjack", enter slogan competitions, anything you can think of to get your writing out there.

If you have any particular stand ups in mind, go to their gigs, chat with them, ask them about writing for them.

Good luck.

All my stuff has been via contacts made via posting my stuff for free.

Oddly enough the first port of call was via critique, which lead to getting asked to write. And even better reccomended onto others.

And most stnadups don't seem to want a big pile of generic jokes. More someone who can match to their style.

And that is both hard and requires trust.

Thanks for the feedback guys.
I wasn't necessarily thinking about getting paid, or selling jokes I've already concocted (although of course both would be welcome!). I'd be interested in getting to know one particular person's style and aims and then offering ideas or lines that would suit them. As I mentioned, I'm fascinated by the process but would cry if I ever had to stand on a stage myself

Then I think you've got to get your work seen and recorded even if not performed by yourself.

Any hints as to how?!

Well critique is a start (and yes I got a job offer of it, which lead to a better one....)

Check out the writing ops thread as well.

Mercers, Teak Show, Newsrevue etc are all shows looking for new material.

Thank you sootyj

nb unless you do some standup yourself. I fundamentally don't think you can get how they really work.

Written jokes tend to be neater, shorter and can get away with word play.

Where as stage jokes, need to be more humane and often benefited from a little bit of padding and extension.

Does doing stand-up to the cat count?
Your points are really helpful, and that's why I'd like to write for someone else; I like the patter and the developing of the act and character that you can't really express as well in different forms of writing but I'm not the performing type

Have been pondering the advice and wondered if anyone has any thoughts on writers approaching stand-ups.
Because I imagine that if someone you didn't know said to you after a performance 'I'd like to help with the writing for your act' you'd be offended and tell them to bugger off.
But if you follow someone for a few gigs and get solid ideas you could offer, wouldn't you just look like a bit of a sad stalker?

It's all down to contacts. Get gigging or writing or your stuff performed somewhere.

After a while you'll start to make contacts and contacts lead to contacts.

Ajgo - sooty is correct, but you have to use your imagination and tenacity to get to the top comedians.

The top comedians that appear on TV need new material all the time. They can't use all their best gags on TV and then do the same set to a theatre audience. Unless you are Peter Kay

There are so many social sites that have these people on them - chance your arm with a few. You never know.

Thank you both for the advice!

My one biggy bit of advice

is enjoy writing and being read

the money will follow in it's own good time.