Reddit mentions of The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even If You're Not

I did standup comedy for about 8 years and I can tell you that being the funniest in your group of friends is miles away from being "professionally" funny. I've seen more funny friends crash and burn on a stage in front off all of said friends because they figured they were going to be able to just walk in and turn it on. Which is not at all to say it can't be done. They are just two different genres of funny and you'll need to learn about how to channel your "funny friend" humor into "funny writer" humor.

Two books I recommend are:

The Comic Toolbox: how to be funny even if you're not
And
Funny on Purpose: The Definitive Guide to an Unpredictable Career in Comedy: Standup + Improv + Sketch + TV + Writing + Directing + YouTube

My buddy bought this book for me to make fun of me saying I wasn’t funny. Jokes on him, I am now not only not funny, but also have all of the fundamental knowledge of what makes stuff funny and the tools necessary to grind out jokes.

The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even If You're Not https://www.amazon.com/dp/1879505215/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_AKFPCbCDNY86N

Seriously tho it’s a great book and gives you the formula for creating quality bits

I have a lot of thoughts about it, but there's nothing I can say quickly. There are some great books by much smarter people than me on the /r/comedywriting reading list:

• Jokes: Philosophical Thoughts on Joking Matters - Ted Cohen
  
• Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life - Steve Martin
  
• The Comic Toolbox: How To Be Funny Even if You're Not - John Vorhaus
  
• And Here's the Kicker: Conversations with 21 Top Humor Writers on their Craft - Mike Sacks
  
  There's also /r/standup. Doing standup has greatly informed my writing. I highly recommend it for anyone who thinks they're funny.

Best book I know on character writing is Comic Toolbox by John Vorhaus http://www.amazon.com/Comic-Toolbox-Funny-Even-Youre/dp/1879505215

The best thing I've done for my character development is take an improv comedy class.

I believe this is what you are looking for:

The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even If You're Not

>This is a straightforward, often humorous workbook approach to comedy writing as creative problem-solving. In it, veteran Hollywood comedy writer John Vorhaus offers his tools of the trade to writers, comics, and anyone else who wants to be funny. Among these indispensable tools are Clash of Context, Tension and Release, The Law of Comic Opposites, The Wildly Inappropriate Response, and The Myth of the Last Great Idea. Readers will learn that comedy = truth and pain (the essence of the comic situation), that fear is the biggest roadblock to comedy (kill the ferocious editor within and rich, useful comic ideas will flow), and much more.

• The Comic Toolbox by John Vorhaus <-- Learn to make jokes
  
• The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle <-- For inner game
  
• The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey <-- Not necessarily pickup-related, but it's good overall life advice.

Hiya! Where have ya been?

Ok so if you normally like to tease him:

[The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even If You're Not] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1879505215/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_O2eVAb1688K79) and [Law School in a Box: All the Prestige for a Fraction of the Price] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1594741468/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_m-eVAb9K1X382)

Or if you want to encourage him: Step by Step to Stand-Up Comedy and [The Tools of Argument: How the Best Lawyers Think, Argue, and Win] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1481246380/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zbfVAb6E6NG1V) and you can write him encouraging notes inside the covers.

The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even If You're Not

Did anyone read The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even If You're Not ?

http://www.amazon.com/The-Comic-Toolbox-Funny-Youre/dp/1879505215

Sure. Well, structure doesn't really matter a whole lot if you're not telling a classic build->punch joke. The situation is the buildup, so all you're really looking for is a solid punchline.

I don't think I can cram enough information into this post to help you personally, but I can recommend a few books that are incredible.

Firstly Comedy Writing Secrets. I originally bought this book to learn more about writing specific things (like sketch and screenplay), but it's packed full of comedy theory that's helped in a lot of other areas.

Secondly The Comic Toolbox. This book is actually more helpful in the creation of comedy, but there are plenty of exercises to help your brain recognize and understand comedy.

I'm into comedy. I took writing training at Second City, I recommend that if you get the chance. I've also done improv lots of places in the Midwest for the last decade. I have spent countless hours studying the art of comedy, is what I'm saying.

Don't give up on yourself. In my years I have met fewer people I believed to be unteachable of comedy than I can count on one hand. You are not one of them. I know this because they all possessed the same trait, they wanted to win, all of the time. All of them thought they were showing their power, and intelligence. That you ask these questions at all, OP, proves you can be what you wish, that you lack the only poison that can damn a mind to humorlessness.

Check out /r/comedywriting It's mostly self promos now but sometimes discussions. The books listed in the sidebar are gold, however. This book I highly recommend in particular, and it's byline is very fitting to your question. There really aren't any books that teach comedy well, but this one has been the gold standard secret for the last two decades. My Second City classes introduced me to this book, and it was like someone had put everything I had taught myself about comedy in a textbook. Don't ever say you've given up on being funny again until you've read this book.

As suggested, start watching other funny people and deconstruct why their humor works. If there's no improv class, pick some improv games from online and practice with a trusted friend. Learn how to tease women and practice.

Also, I haven't read these books yet but I've heard great things: The Comic Toolbox and The Comedy Bible.

the comic toolbox is very good.

http://www.amazon.com/Comic-Toolbox-Funny-Even-Youre/dp/1879505215/ref=pd_bbs_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221432521&sr=8-4

Here ya go my mirthless friend. Found this really helpful although most people I know didn't see the improvement. Take my wife for instance...please take her.

Thanks for your suggestion. From your links I discovered a related book that fits well with my interest: The comic toolbox: How to be funny even if you are not

Step 1) Read this book.

Step 2) Realize you're never going to be funny.

Step 3) Become a Computer Programmer.

That's what happens when you attempt to joke. 0 kharma. Do you even joke brah?

Here is a book I recommend for you!

http://www.amazon.com/Comic-Toolbox-Funny-Even-Youre/dp/1879505215/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398886293&sr=1-1&keywords=learn+to+be+funny