How to Learn Standup Comedy on Your Own

So your friends think you are a real riot after you have consumed a few bottles of beer. Your girlfriend may be laughing her heart out even at your lamest jokes. You might inevitably think you have the natural gift of humor. Why not turn it into a lucrative career? You should know how to learn standup comedy so you could transform yourself into an instant celebrity and you could earn more money.

It is hard to make people laugh. If you have the natural ability to do that, you should use that gift very well. Not all people are born that way. You could further develop your humor so that you could stand up and face hundreds of people to make them laugh. Here are several effective ways on how you could learn standup comedy on your own.

Study great comedians

You could learn from the bests. Watch live or rent videos of popular stand-up shows featuring no less than the masters. Carefully study how they make people laugh. Analyze what makes them really funny. This way, you could learn comedic timing on your own. This is critical for every standup comedian.

Take note of how each comedian assumes a different persona. For example, Adam Sandler is often naïve and silly. Chris Rock makes people laugh by being an angry man, while Dennis Miller does great in political ranting. Decide what kind of a stage persona you should develop. However, do not imitate a comedian’s exact personality or try to steal his material. To be truly funny, be unique. Avoid Carrot Top as you aim to be funny. Perhaps, you just need to focus on yourself and develop your own personality so you could get funnier.

Write your routine

Try to write your material everyday. Carry a small notebook or a pocket tape recorder wherever you go so you could write down or record any humorous idea of observation you may have. Compile your notes into a single ideal folder. Try to assemble all your best stuff. Write at least a five-minute long routine for every funny observation.

When writing your own comedy material, remember to write only what you know. In this way, it is advisable to touch subjects that are timely and that truly interest you. You may talk about sports, politics, history, relationships, and family. Every anecdote or joke should feature a setup and a punch line (the funny part).

Train for your act

Public speaking training or improvisation acting could be very helpful. It is important that you feel comfortable whenever you are on stage or in front of the audience. To feel comfort in the act, start by memorizing your best materials. Rehearse your lines and your delivery on your own, in front of the mirror. You could also ask a trusted friend to criticize your performance for improvements.

Have several acts or routines ready for any act. This way, you could use the best ones that would truly make the audience laugh. Observe initial audience reaction on the first antics and then try to adjust your performance as you go on to sustain viewers’ interests. Training for the stage is one effective way to learn standup comedy and master it, too.