Comedy Writing Self-Taught Workbook : More Than 100 Practical Writing Exercises to Develop Your Comedy Writing Skills

"Can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?" "Practice, practice, practice." That's more than a joke; it's solid advice. Consider world-class performers in any field -- golf, figure skating, music, whatever. One thing you can safely say about each is that they achieved their level of skill through practice. To excel in any endeavor, you must work on and perfect your technique. Comedy writing is no exception. In this book, Emmy-winning TV writer and producer Gene Perret and professional writer Linda Perret have compiled a collection of over 100 comedy writing workouts that will challenge your joke writing skills and develop your sketch and sitcom writing abilities. This book suggests that talent is earned through observation, study, analysis, and repetition. The authors also encourage you to analyze your writing, discover where improvement is required, and create your own skill-creating exercises. The work can be demanding, but that's what it takes to become a success in any field, including comedy writing. If you study "Comedy Writing Self-Taught Workbook" -- with or without the companion volume, "Comedy Writing Self-Taught" -- when your break comes, you'll be ready.

Gene Perret taught himself to write comedy in the early 1960s by studying the technique and the writing style of the great comedians of the day, especially Bob Hope. This led to his writing comedy material for many nightclub performers, including Phyllis Diller and Slappy White. In 1968, Gene was signed to contribute to "The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show." That led to a television career writing for "The Jim Nabors Hour," "Laugh-In," "The New Bill Cosby Show," "The Carol Burnett Show" and others. Later, he produced such hits as "Welcome Back Kotter," "Three’s Company," and "The Tim Conway Show." Gene also worked with Bob Hope on all of his personal appearances and TV specials for 38 years, the last 12 of which he served as Hope’s head-writer. Perret has won three Emmys and one Writer’s Guild Award. He is also a well respected teacher of comedy writing and is the author of over 45 books, including “The New Comedy Writing Step by Step” and “The Ten Commandments of Comedy.”

Linda Perret has been involved in various aspects of comedy writing since she sold her first professional joke in 1990. She has written comedy for Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers, Yakov Smirnoff, Jimmie Walker and other stand-up comics. She's written comedy for the business world, adding a touch of humor to executive speeches and corporate award ceremonies. Linda has had three collections of joke books published and has been quoted in Reader's Digest, The National Enquirer, and Arizona Highways. Linda was nominated for a Writer's Guild award for her work on the writing staff of the television special, "Bob Hope -- the First 90 Years." Today, Linda supplies one-liners and comedy bits for ventriloquist Terry Fator and his cast of characters who perform at the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas at the Terry Fator Theatre, and around the country.