h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: How to Write Comedy - A527861
Author: Researcher AdamXY - U169946

I would like this to be reviewed!

Hi there, firstly, the article is very well written, but, I've a couple of questions and pointers.

Is this the first of a series of articles? If so, a University Project might be a better idea.


Secondly, you state at the end of the article that it is unfinished... if so, the Writing Workshop might be a better place for comments.

If however you consider the text to be finished. This is the right place for it...

After a very quick read through - I'll read it over in depth this evening however, there is one obvious point - normally entries for the edited guide are written in the third person - If all the first person references were removed I suspect this would be virtually ready for the edited guide (of course I reserve the right to change my mind after an in-depth reading)

At first glance this looks like an excellent piece of work, I'll get back to you later on any details I find


whisky

Thanks Whisky - I'll clean it up now before you 2nd read - cheers!

I think that the title is a bit misleading. I was somehow expecting more on how to write for performance comedy. Performance comedy includes TV, Stand-Up, Theatre & Radio, and writers in those areas must account for appearance, timing and physical action.

I write my own stand-up material, and that seems quite different from the constructs discussed in the article. In fact, I don't feel able to comment on the substance of the article at all (apart from saying that it's well written and quite clear).

Also, no first person (or whatever "us writers" is) is allowed in edited guide entries.

Reading the Writing-Guidelines might help you get an idea about what's expected. It is a nice article, and a more specific title will help.


Dancer

Just to let you know that this entry has been scouted but I haven't processed it yet as it needs updating from the feedback given in this conversation....

I'll check back in a couple of days

OK - this has been taken off the scout list (only temporarily) until the author comes back with ammendments. Potentially ace entry, this - just needs a bit more work. Anyone fancy chasing up the author?

Cheers for now,

Sam.

Could I suggest my friend Ashley for that job? Youse italics should have access to an email address...

Assuming the author-chasing failed, perhaps this entry should be removed from PR, or sent to a sub-ed with a bunch of flowers and a cute little cards. Ooh, and maybe one of those boxes of heart-shaped truffles?
-Lucinda

Sadly, the author appears to have left the building - a move to the FM perhaps?

Stay ,
WD

Or sending to a Sub-Ed with and ?

i think that perhaps, as the author indeed points out, the word 'small' stands out as incongruous. particularly pertinent when someone says this essay requires a small amount of work.

now i have no idea how to write comedy. i have a feeling even some sitcom writers dont know how to (in fact, looking at a lot of sitcoms, i dont think many know even the first thing about it). i think that it would have to be a collaborative effort which takes examples from more than one (not terribly good) terry pratchett book. i also think that an article on comedy is going to get very wearing if the author tries to be comedically glib. instead, it has to be written absolutely straight, and look at written comedy, spoken comedy and all the branches, like surrealism, slapstick, irony etc. in fact, i have a feeling that there are too many subtleties really to make a decent attempt at this

This entry seems to be based on examples of comic narrative. It may be better to start with how to tell a joke and the different catagories of joke. This is the essence of comedy writing. Once that's sorted out it doesn't necessarily matter what format the jokes are in whether it be novel, sitcom, stand up, etc. Perhaps a separate entry on how to write jokes might be an idea.