The Smart Man Doesn’t Build On Sand. The Smart Man Will Use That Sand For Cement!

Tags: amateur comedians, comedy writing, Saskatoon, stand-up comedy, The Stand-Up Diaries, trevor dean

A friend ended up coming to town and staying with me for a few days, to get away from the troublesome influences they were being exposed to.  While I truly appreciated the company and having someone around to talk to, it also snapped me out of my routine.  My lazy, lonely, sad routine.

Since I’ve been sick for the last few days I have had an early bedtime of around 9:00.  For anyone who knows me, this is in sharp contrast to how I usually operate as most nights I won’t get to bed until well after midnight.

While my friend watches t.v. or on the computer, I retreat to my bedroom and started writing new material.  But here’s the thing, I made a conscious decision to really focus on using the techniques that my comedy coach has taught me thus far.  It’s started to pay off, as I have written a couple dozen pieces of material.  They aren’t like the usual jokes I write, however.  They aren’t convoluted or five minutes long.  They follow the simple formula for joke writing.  They are short and to the point.  Plus, the punchline plays to one of the biggest laugh triggers there are, that’s used by the majority of comics today.

My comedy coach had suggested I work to attain a goal he believes I can hit.  This goal was nowhere on my radar, nor was it what I entered comedy to try to achieve.  But, being a new year and all I needed a challenge, a task with a reward at the end that was so much bigger than me, that I wouldn’t know where to start.  I like goals like that where the task seems too large, it will take too much time, I don’t have enough money, I’m not good enough.  No, you have to walk up the dark staircase one step at a time, even if you can’t see the first step you take, you must take that step in faith, one step at a time.

Some of my closest friends know of this goal I have been presented with.  I won’t make it public at this time because I don’t need the jealousy from the bullies or the haters to spoil the journey.  Besides, this goal I don’t think is on any comics radar in this province.  I know for a fact it’s not on any comics radar who are in Saskatoon, at least not for the foreseeable future.

So with an early bedtime, I feel a bit more refreshed which allows me to sit down and write with a clear mind and a positive attitude.  Trying to write something funny when I’m alone staring at a computer screen can be demoralizing and intimidating.  I find my best writing comes from when I actually write.  There is something about the pen hitting the paper where my thoughts come out easier.

It has been about a couple dozen new jokes, as mentioned earlier.  They work because I follow structure and comedy writing formulas that work.  The reason I started to succeed with the comeback video is because I followed a formula, structure, that was taught to me.  The only people who think you can’t succeed in what you are passionate about are jealous or a bully.  It’s pretty simple.  When people want to be a part of your success and help you to get better, they should give you the tools necessary for success.

These new jokes WILL work.  Most comics hope and pray (as I used to) that the new stuff they write hopes to be funny.

Then again, if you have no idea why something is funny, how can you write something funny that you believe will get laughs?

There is a structure and a proven formula that have seen many of the students of the comedy school get t.v. gigs and land big stage time, all because they were taught structure and formulas that work.  For example, I know of a comic who has an American-based agent, yet this person (to the best of my knowledge) never gets any gigs in the USA.

You need a gameplan when you are onstage.  Every sentence should have a reason for being there.  It should lead to the next sentence coming out of your mouth, followed by a clever punchline.

I have started to take comedy writing seriously, and the new material I have created will work.  That’s the difference between myself and the other local comics.  I KNOW my stuff will work even before I deliver it to an audience for the first time, because I learned about audience psychology and how to hit certain laugh triggers.  The comics who think they have it all figured out are naturally skeptical.  Once again, I shall prove my critics wrong as all this new material I’ve created, I will be performing at the charity show in February.  Yes, it will be recorded and posted online for all the world to see.  Trevor Dean backs up his talk with actions, and I’m not a bully either.

Just think, if I didn’t lend a helping hand to this friend in need, it wouldn’t have given me the jolt to change my outlook on things.  I’d say this is a good way to start 2014.

God bless!