Writer and tutor Dave Cohen makes a very compelling case for practicing short-form writing (sketches) in order to excel in longer-form narrative (sitcom). All the disciplines you need are right there...
Writing professionally is as much a test of endurance as it is of skill. Here are some things to bear in mind when it gets difficult, and you need some help and encouragement.
Goals goals goals. All writers need something to aim for, but self-motivation in particular can be a strain. Here we look at setting and achieving goals in the creation of comedy.
Finishing a script can be far more challenging than starting one. Finishing your work might feel like an almighty task, but it is also essential... and it can be done.
All but the most heightened, rarest of creative geniuses will experience writer's block - or at least admit to it. But how to get past that empty page, glaring, mockingly back at you? That is the real mark of a writer in control.
If you've decided that you want to be a comedy writer, or if you're already some way down the road to becoming one, you're going to need loads of ideas. But where can you get them from, and what do you need to do once you've thought one up?
As a comedy writer or stand-up you may have heard the phrase "punch up, not down" or a variation thereof. It's an important comedy guideline that concerns both the ethics and funniness of your material.
