"I've Always Wanted to Try Stand Up"

I've been doing stand up for two years now, and it's become one of my greatest passions and favorite things to do. Every time I talk to someone about it, or I see a new comic performing for the first time, that phrase always comes up in some way or another, and is usually followed by, "but I don't know how," or, "but I'm not brave enough to do it." Not only is it way easier than you'd think, but once you try it, the fun and excitement of it outweighs the nerves. If you're thinking about starting stand up comedy, go for it! It's never too late to start, and it's surprisingly easy to get going. I'm here to offer encouraging words and advice for those considering stand up and those just starting out.

First thing's first: Find a venue.

This is a step that can be done before, during, or after writing your first jokes. To get started and have a venue/audience in mind while writing material, find out if there are any open mics near you or similar kind of programs in your area. I've performed in bars, restaurants, art galleries, and even in my city's art festival; bottom line, it's actually not too difficult to find places to perform! You can go to an already running open mic or showcase, and start getting to know other comics in your area. It helps a lot to have friends in the comedy community, because they can give you some ideas for where to go or local shows you can try out. Of course, not every town has an open mic or show already established for performing comedy, so it may take a bit of traveling and searching to find a good regular place to start out with, but you can always check out local open mics that aren't comedy exclusive and more often than not, your act will be welcome. Stand up requires you to really get out there and talk to people and look where you may not expect to find opportunities, so you can't be afraid to really open yourself up and meet new people and check out places you haven't been to before.

Now, we'll get into the real deal and start talking writing.

Writing Material: Inspiration, Knowing Your Audience, and Being Open to Experimenting

One of the most important things when writing material is style. Style takes a long time to develop, though, so don't feel discouraged if you don't have one right off the bat. Some comics don't develop a style that best fits them until they're deep into their careers, and it's different for everyone. The reason style is important early on, however, is that it gives you a good idea of where to start. Experimenting with different styles and trying out new things is going to be most essential in this process, especially when you're just starting out, because it gets your creative juices flowing and helps you get into the habit and motions of writing jokes. It also gets you to push yourself onstage, which will start boosting your confidence and make you more and more comfortable onstage.

You can start writing jokes at any time with any level of experience. While seasoned comics have the confidence that only comes with experience, anyone can write a good joke, no matter how long they've been doing it. Writing jokes can be difficult but you just have to look for inspiration if you're having trouble writing. And never feel bad about hitting a joke block, because we all get writer's block every now and then; but that is the crucial period to push through and keep trying and practicing, because it gets you into the habit of working hard to find inspiration for material. Some things that help me when I'm having trouble coming up with jokes are watching comedy television shows, watching stand up specials or clips and videos online, talking to friends, and even just going about my regular day but paying attention to the thoughts I have and try to build on it and form it into a joke. Some of my best jokes have been inspired by jokes I've heard from other comics, but they're all unique and original in their own way. Keep in mind though that you should never, ever steal jokes. Not only is it extremely upsetting, but it's just a really shitty thing to do. On that subject, there are some unspoken/spoken rules of etiquette when going to a comedy show.

Comedy Show Etiquette

You know how frustrating it is when you're trying to say something and someone keeps interrupting you? Yeah, that's why we don't heckle. Some comics will riff off of one another during a show and some comics will humor hecklers and turn it into their act. If you don't know what heckling is, it's when someone in the audience shouts remarks to the person onstage. If you do get heckled, the best thing to do is either handle it with grace and find a way to make it fit into your set, or to just ignore them. Arguing with hecklers can actually be potentially dangerous so it's best to refrain from encouraging them.

Just like in a movie theater or the opera, it's rude to have your phone out while someone's performing. You can wait to check your phone between comics, because being onstage and seeing an illuminated face while you're in a dark room with a bright light in your eyes can be pretty frustrating. Similarly, if you want to leave without staying for the full show, wait to leave in between comics or during a break.

The last important piece of etiquette is to stay as close to your allotted time as possible. If you're given three minutes, make it three minutes. Pay attention to yourself and time your act so you can take out unnecessary parts to save time. While it doesn't seem like a huge deal, watching a comic burn the light* while I'm waiting to go on is extremely irritating, and it can be very stressful for the host. While it's not always the case, some hosts will even go so far as to bump you if you sign up again, especially if you have a habit of burning the light.

*burning the light: continuing even after your second light has gone off, after your 1 minute warning; going over on your time limit.

Additional Tips

• If you decide to hold the mic in your hand instead of keeping it in the mic stand, move the stand to the side so the audience can see you better without being distracted
• Talk to other comedians! Get to know your fellow comics because they can not only give you some good advice and inspiration, they're also really fun to be friends with and it will make your time at the show much more enjoyable
• Some open mics don't charge admission but some will, and others will have a "pay what you can" policy, meaning you can donate the amount you wish to donate. While most places won't enforce this strictly and will let you in even if you don't pay, that money is usually the only money the comics are making from the show, or what they're paying the featured guest, so it really helps to at least give something
• Have fun! Invite your friends, relax, and have a good time because it seems really scary, but in reality it's just another night and as long as you aren't offensive or rude, people are going to have a great time as long as you are, so get out there and do some comedy.