How To Create Standup Comedy Routines

Learn how to create standup comedy routines? Is every story true? Is it all off the cuff? Do comedians tell different jokes every night? No, no, and not exactly. Creating an effective comedy routine can often prove painstaking; at other times, it's easy. Generating good standup bits takes a lot of work and experience, but here are some guidelines.

Write -Em Down
The best way to generate comedy routines is to think freely, observe real-life situations or just let your imagination go whatever direction your sense of humor takes it. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, just how do you plan on remembering all those thoughts? The answer: carry a notebook. Everywhere. If you're on the bus, at the gym or even sleeping at night, make sure your notebook is always within reach in case you have a good thought or idea. If somebody irks you in your everyday life, it's there for you to record your thoughts, as it is when you daydream or hypothesize. Try to make your notes as thorough and readable as you can, as you'll likely forget what you meant if you just scribble down a simple keyword that will remain lost for several days. Then, when you've filled your notebook, transfer all the workable material into a computer and e-mail it to yourself to make sure it is never lost.

Punch -Em Up
At the end of the day, when you have some downtime, take time to go through your notes and try to build on the premises you have. If you wrote simple "one-liners" (actually two-lines-setup/punchline form), see if they hold up at second glance, or if you can tighten them to make them stronger. If they are stories or observational, try to generate more examples to illustrate your point or premise, so that it "reads funny." Then, it's time to see how it sounds.

Try -Em Out
Once you have a new idea or bit written out, visit an open mic with a small audience, preferably one that is made up mostly of comics. This is what is known as a "workout"-as standups will work out material off of notes safe from the gaze of a paid audience. If your jokes get big laughs, make a note of it-as you should if a joke seems to still need work. Obviously, you don't want to be grading your jokes as you tell them, so a good trick is to bring along a camera or recorder so that you can watch your set later to see what needs revisiting and what stands out.

Let -Em Breathe
Once you've worked the jokes out at an open mic, try them out on a real show. No notes, no help-just you and the jokes you've memorized. Again, record your set so that you're able to go back and dissect its pros and cons. You'll find that it usually takes about a month of trial and error for a bit to really sink it and feel like it fits. Be patient, but also be open to suggestions from more experienced comics (and perhaps even your audience).