THE WRITERS' ROOM
>>> THE SEPTEMBER 2024 COURSE IS NOW FULL <<<
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO APPLIED.
But do contact me - using the button below - to be put on the mailing list for the next time the course runs.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO APPLIED.
But do contact me - using the button below - to be put on the mailing list for the next time the course runs.
I'm running an online course for writers, called THE WRITERS' ROOM.
It's a series of talks about the craft of writing, with discussions afterwards.
Like my book BE FUNNY OR DIE, the focus will be on comedy, but there will be more general advice for all forms of writing.
Though it will build on the ideas in the book, this will be a more practical course, designed specifically for writers, and people who want to harness writing craft in their work.
If you've been to one of my talks, and hung around for the Q&A or a chat after the signing, it's going to be a bit like that, but with more opportunity for one-on-one attention, and loads more hands-on tips.
With fewer opportunities to get into writers' rooms, and more remote working for all of us, this is an attempt to simulate the communal learning environment that I had myself, meeting other writers and picking up advice from someone who's done this a lot.
You could think of it is a chance to talk, share and learn. Or you could see it as my valiant attempt to simulate the experince of an after-work pint with Barry Cryer – my own comedy boot camp – but with fewer menthol cigarettes and shaggy dog stories.
There will be 5 x WEEKLY 90 MINUTE SESSIONS, on a SUNDAY afternoon, remotely over Zoom.
Each session will be a talk from me of around 45 minutes, and then be thrown open for a chat.
Spaces will be limited for each run of the course, to enable us to have workable discussions.
The sessions will be recorded, and links shared with course members, so you can re-watch, or catch up if you missed one.
The cost is £350 (+VAT) for the full course.
That's 5 x 90 minute online sessions. (Which is cheaper than therapy, and there'll probably be more jokes.)
THE FIRST COURSE WILL RUN FROM SEPTEMBER 2024
Register your interest using this email form to find out DATES, TIMES and other DETAILS.
It's a series of talks about the craft of writing, with discussions afterwards.
Like my book BE FUNNY OR DIE, the focus will be on comedy, but there will be more general advice for all forms of writing.
Though it will build on the ideas in the book, this will be a more practical course, designed specifically for writers, and people who want to harness writing craft in their work.
If you've been to one of my talks, and hung around for the Q&A or a chat after the signing, it's going to be a bit like that, but with more opportunity for one-on-one attention, and loads more hands-on tips.
With fewer opportunities to get into writers' rooms, and more remote working for all of us, this is an attempt to simulate the communal learning environment that I had myself, meeting other writers and picking up advice from someone who's done this a lot.
You could think of it is a chance to talk, share and learn. Or you could see it as my valiant attempt to simulate the experince of an after-work pint with Barry Cryer – my own comedy boot camp – but with fewer menthol cigarettes and shaggy dog stories.
There will be 5 x WEEKLY 90 MINUTE SESSIONS, on a SUNDAY afternoon, remotely over Zoom.
Each session will be a talk from me of around 45 minutes, and then be thrown open for a chat.
Spaces will be limited for each run of the course, to enable us to have workable discussions.
The sessions will be recorded, and links shared with course members, so you can re-watch, or catch up if you missed one.
The cost is £350 (+VAT) for the full course.
That's 5 x 90 minute online sessions. (Which is cheaper than therapy, and there'll probably be more jokes.)
THE FIRST COURSE WILL RUN FROM SEPTEMBER 2024
Register your interest using this email form to find out DATES, TIMES and other DETAILS.
CONSULTANCY, SCRIPT EDITING etc
- If you're part of the course, I'll also make myself available to have a look at your own work (dependent on length...) and give feedback, notes and constructive advice, for a one-off fee.
- We can discuss the rates for this sort of one-on-one consultancy on a case-by-case basis. It's obviously going to be different for a sketch than it is for a novel... But I'm happy to offer the sort of work, which I normally only do for production companies.
- (If you're a professional prodco or publisher, go through my AGENTS...)
WHAT'S IN THE COURSE?
Here's what we'll be talking about:
WEEK 1
SHARE THE JOKE
WEEK 2
HOW COMEDY WORKS
WEEK 3
WHO'S IN COMEDY?
WEEK 4
HOW COMEDY IS BUILT
WEEK 5
HOW TO WRITE
SHARE THE JOKE
- Welcome to the business. Sit down. Have a biscuit*.
- The basics of comedy and joke craft.
- How to turn things that make you laugh into things that make as many other people as possible laugh too.
- Learning the core skills. A summary of what any pro comedy writer knows, but maybe doesn't know that they know.
- The language and terminology of the job.
- The fundamentals that never fail.
WEEK 2
HOW COMEDY WORKS
- Refining the specific crafts of comedy that separate it from other writing (drama, documentary, shopping lists*).
- What is going on when you try and make other people laugh.
- How to learn how to do it better.
- Working alone, working with an audience, working in collaboration.
- The performer vs the writer. The two different skillsets. Understanding the other part of the job.
- Assembling your professional toolkit to make people laugh, rather than tense.
- Unless that's what you want. And don't worry, we'll discuss how to do that, if that's your bag, you cruel monster.
WEEK 3
WHO'S IN COMEDY?
- The importance of character and voice in comedy.
- Who are you? And who are the people saying your jokes?
- How to find your own voice.
- How to establish patterns of expectation and recognition.
- Exploring how audience expectation interacts with character dynamics.
- Building recognisable characters, and allowing the audience to follow them.
WEEK 4
HOW COMEDY IS BUILT
- The importance of structure. How to build the unbreakable scaffolding to hold your jokes up.
- The secret of keeping an audience engaged: argument, stakes, shape, theme, plot, story.
- How these work for stand-up, sitcom, sketch, whatever... and how they work with anything.
- Write a more satisfying email, the perfect presentation, an impressive speech, an eye-catching advertisement, more engaging copy. Make your social media updates more entertaining. Pen a truly gripping birthday card. Send the milkman a note he can't put down.
- Get someone's attention, and reward them, with solid technique to get your ideas across.
WEEK 5
HOW TO WRITE
- The everyday nuts and bolts of writing.
- Practices and habits. Schedules and discipline. Focus and inspiration. Time management.
- Software, equipment, stationery. Different approaches.
- Drafting and re-drafting. How to structure, how to plan, how to edit.
- Feedback, notes, and your own response. How to collaborate to improve your work.
- Insane-seeming tricks to break writing blocks. Killing your darlings, fighting for your favourites.
- How to get out of holes. How to fix a broken story. How to polish a turd, and when not to.
- Pre-flight checks. What to do before showing your work to someone else.