A Word on Being Playful

Before we start Searching for an Idea let me tell you this: Looking for an idea can be stressful. Maybe you have a deadline. Maybe you haven’t thought of anything funny in a while and it makes you anxious because you fear you have lost your touch. Maybe it is the first time you try your hand at comedy writing and all your dreams will be shattered if you don’t come up with anything on your first try and thus proving once and for all that you are not cut out to be a comedian.

But the thing is: There is no point in feeling bad.

And by that I mean: There is no advantage in feeling stressed. Mind you I don’t want you even more stressed because now you feel bad about being stressed when I have told you not to be.

Let me put it differently: There is no advantage in feeling Distress. Aka negative stress. Stress that hinders your performance.

What you want to feel is Eustress which the Cambridge Dictionary defines as follows:

“Eustress is positive stress, that comes from positive challenges or exciting experiences.”

Ideally you want to attack any exercise in this book with gusto, any part of the comedy writing process with the Growth Mindset, your whole life with you feeling Eustress. If a deadline gives you that, wonderful! If it doesn’t, find something that isn’t as big a stresser as that. It has to work for you!

I really want to emphasize that you are allowed to give yourself space and time to learn and grow. Especially at the beginning. And the middle. And the end. So be patient with yourself. Reward yourself with a cookie, put on your favorite music and allow yourself as many pauses as you want to. Just keep at it and trust the process. And if the process doesn’t work for you change it up so it does.

One day at a time

There is a lot of information in this book. New theories and concepts. New words and definitions. Some of the things will stick immediately. Other stuff you will need to look up again and again.Full disclosure: I don’t consciously think about all the stuff in this book when I am trying to write a joke. I do have lists and notes I consult whenever I run dry. And I partially wrote this book to have one place where I can store all my lists and thoughts.

With practice it will become second nature to look for connections, to think about double meanings and how to apply the Formula. Like driving a car you will do it unconsciously.

But like driving a car, in the beginning it will take a lot of conscious effort.

It’s overwhelming. It’s exhausting.

So don’t try to do all at once.

Now I can’t force you to take it one day at a time. But I can tell you: There is no point in rushing it. In comedy there is no finish line. And exactly because there is no finish line, it will always be more important to be curious and playful than trying to be correct. Or to “correctly” apply the things in this book

So while looking for an idea please have as much fun a possible.

Be playful.

Two reasons. First, that way you won’t burn out. Having fun is a great indicator that you want to come back and do it again.

And second: There is no correct way of doing this. There is only your way of doing this. And for it to become “your way” needs time. The good news is: You already are on your way.

So to make a long story short: Be patient with yourself, have fun doing it and while looking for an idea simply try to have the following guidelines running in the back of your mind, ready to spring in action when an opportunity arises.