Product Description

Greg Dean examines the fundamentals of being funny and offers advice on a range of topics, including: writing creative joke material; rehearsing and performing routines; coping with stage fright; dealing with emcees who think they're funnier than you; getting experience; and lots more. Essential for the aspiring comic or the working comedian interested in updating his or her comedy routine, "Step by Step to Stand-Up Comedy" is a comprehensive and useful book on the art of the stand-up comedian.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #88720 in Books
• Published on: 2000-07-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Customer Reviews

Outstanding guide for stand-up performers
An outstanding book for anyone interested in transferring their comedy ideas into a practical stand-up routine:

- The book covers the following topics:
- The Secrets of Joke Structure
- Joke Writing
- What to write jokes about
- Improving your jokes
- Assembling a routine
- POV and narrative
- Rehearsing
- Mic technique
- Performance technique
- Developing experience

Through practical advice and a series of useful excersises Greg isolates the elements of comedy on an almost scientific linguistic level. Thereby allowing the writer/performer to explore, create and fine tune their original ideas without relying on cheap gimicks or plaguerising other performers. It has more in common with a NLP text or strategic business manual than some of the more anecdote based books available, although the book does contain several anecdotes when elaborating examples.

I purchased this book initially just to help with gag writing for screenplays but have become so confident through the process that I am now putting together actual routines for public performance.

Well worth it.

A Giant Step For Comic Mankind!
I have been doing stand-up for a few months now and wish I'd read this before I started. Lots of very essential advice. A must-read for any new comic. Some of the stuff on joke structures was a bit complicated, but maybe I'm just stupid! Otherwise very readable and totally invaluable.

a great great book for any aspiring stand up
I bought the Judy Carter book but this is far superior .Its full of tips and sensible advice from writing material to something as basic as mic technique .A great buy for any aspiring stand up