Product Description

Packed with hints, tips and warnings, this is the complete newly revised guide through the minefield of comedy writing. Experienced scriptwriter Ronald Wolfe reveals the secrets of the trade. Sharing his success with the reader, Ronald Wolfe explains how to get started in the business and how to present your ideas in an impressive way. He explains the different techniques required for TV, radio, stage and film, and includes sound advice on working methods. Maurice Gran and Laurence Marks, creators and writers of Birds of a Feather, discuss their experiences of team writing. The book is full of good advice from such top scriptwriters as Carla Lane of Bread, Jack Rosenthal, Barry Cryer and Alan Plater. Ray Galton recalls writing Hancock's Half Hour, and Andy Hamilton tells how he and Guy Jenkin created Drop the Dead Donkey, and Ian Brown, one of the writing team, tells of the American style teamwriting of My Family. Is it harder for women to break into comedy? Experience and advice are given by Beryl Vertue, executive producer of Men Behaving Badly and Coupling. Actors like Tony Robinson and Warren Mitchell reflect on their experience of working with comedy writers, and producers and directors. Robin Nash, former BBC head of comedy and Micheal Jacob, editor of BBC Comedy development explain how they develop the talent of new writers. Crammed with examples from the scripts of well-known series and crisp analysis of comic formulae, Writing Comedy is a book every comedy scriptwriter will value.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #276914 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Review
'Along with a rich father-in-law, a good suit, curiosity, venom and innocence, there is nothing a young man or woman contemplating writing television comedy needs more than Ronnie Wolfe's indispensable book.' Frank Muir 'What Ronnie doesn't know about writing comedy probably isn't worth knowing.' Writing magazine 'This is a must for all aspiring comedy writers.' Andy Hamilton co-writer and co-producer, with Guy Jenkin, of Drop the Dead Donkey '... lots of good, sensible, practical advice.' Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran creators and writers of New Statesman, Birds of a Feather, Goodnight Sweetheart and Love Hurts 'I only wish I'd had it when I first started writing.' Jimmy Perry co-writer, with David Croft, of Dad's Army, Hi-de-Hil, It Aint Half Hot Mum and You Rang M'Lord 'A "how-to book" on comedy writing by someone who really knows how to.' Denis Norden '... if Oxford or Cambridge ever establish a Chair of Comedy, Ronnie Wolfe should be the first professor.' David Croft co-writer, with Jeremy Lloyd, of 'Allo 'Allo and Are You Being Served?

About the Author
Ronald Wolfe has been a comedy writer practically all his working life. He has written for feature films, stage shows, radio series and (in partnership with Ronald Chesney) has scripted over 500 episodes of television situation comedy. Amongst others he helped create the classic comedies The Rag Trade and On the Buses. He has worked extensively abroad, for all the major networks in the USA, and in Canada, Australia, Scandinavia and Holland. He is a visiting lecturer in writing TV comedy at the City University, London, and regularly speaks at SitCom workshops run by the BFI on the South Bank; the National Film and TV School, Beaconsfield; University of Kent School of Drama, Film and Visual Arts; London Department of New York University; University of Barcelona, Spain; KomedyHaus, Hamburg, Germany; and the Writers' Summer School, Swanwick. He lives in Temple Fortune, North London.

Customer Reviews

An invaluable guide for aspiring comedy writers
This book is excellent, Ronald Wolfe has researched his book extremely well and it is as if he has asked himself, "What possible questions could an aspiring comedy writer have?". Having done this he has proceeded to answer them all!

This book is simple, informative, easy to read, well researched and brilliantly laid out. It is never dull and provides excellent advice, on all aspects of comedy writing; from the traditional - to the alternative, from simple sketches - to full blown screenplays, it's all here. This is an invaluable reference book and gives practical advice on any possible subject that the aspiring writer could need.

It also looks behind the scenes and gives an insight into the various industries involved.

If you are an aspiring comedy writer, and want a down-to-earth, easy to read book, crammed with step-by-step tips, what are you waiting for... Buy it!

Could be better
This was an interesting book, but it didn't present much in the way ofuseful practical advice. Ronald seems to cover a lot of ground but doesn'tgo into any one area in very much detail, making the book feel a littlesketchy at times. The writing also seemed a little dated and slightlyirrelevant for the current situation in the UK sitcom business, with justthe "update" of the "My Family" BBC sitcom tagged on towards the end.
Having said that, it was worthwhile and at times amusing, but I thinkthere are better guides out there... most notably "Writing TelevisionSitcoms" by Evan S. Smith.

Advice from a pro
This book helped me turn a corner in my writing by showing me how a professional writer thinks. Unlike the authors of most of the other writing books I use, Wolfe actually earns his living as a writer, and he focuses on technique, not theory. One chapter in particular is worth the price of the book, the one where Wolfe goes over a question he calls "the writer's best friend." This technique alone helped change my thinking and move me more in the direction of being a professional writer. It doesn't matter if you don't want to write sitcoms as Wolfe does (I don't particularly want to), you can still learn valuable tips from this practical book.