3 Things Fiction and Stand-Up Comedy Have in Common
My husband spent some time in college working as a stand-up comedian. One of the results of this history is that in the years we’ve been married we’ve spent a lot of time breaking down what makes a successful comedian.
Luckily for me, stand-up comedians and fiction authors (in fact, storytellers and artists of all kinds) actually have a lot in common. Today, I’m discussing 3 things that make them successful.
1 | INTERPRETATION: Stand-up comedians and storytellers both have unique insight into the world.
If you’ve ever listened to a stand-up comedian, you’ve likely noticed that what they’re talking about is…life.
They take their interpretation of the world and of the events that happen in their personal lives and in the world at large including their relationships, their human experiences, ideas, philosophies, and even hot pockets and…they talk about it. They choose one insight at a time and infuse it into their comedy.
2 | EMOTIONAL RELEASE: They are both willing to process their emotions.
Emotions are universal. Every single person experiences a huge array of emotions every single day. On a macroscopic scale, we understand the basic premise that stories connect us to each other. But when you zoom in, the relatable emotions within those stories are what are actually creating that connection.
Storytellers have the most impact and connection when they are willing to put an emotional release into their stories by getting honest with emotion. I like to call this a story’s soul.
The same is true of stand-up comedians. They see the most success when they allow their craft to help them process their own emotions, pains, and understanding of themselves and the world around them.
It might be something as big as the death of a loved one or a tragedy in the world, or something as small as the way they feel when they say goodnight to their partner or order a burrito at chipotle. No matter how big or small the situation, we feel emotions.
3 | SPRINKLE OF YOU: They are both completely, vulnerably, authentically, and honestly themselves.
Stand-up comedians are the most successful when they sink into who they are and what they like.
Some lean into goofy and larger than life, some are cringe-y, awkward, or even quiet. Storytellers of all kinds have the greatest success and impact when they discover who they are and lean into it.
Start by understanding what it is you like. What resonates with you. How you express yourself. How the people around you with whom you have the easiest time relating express themselves. The genres you enjoy and the story elements you love.
I feel like one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to meet myself where I am. Every day I get better at not worrying what I should like or should be doing or should want, and instead I think about where I already am. What do I like? What am I doing? What do I want?
The good news is that writing can help you get clearer on the answers to these questions. I would love nothing more than to help inspire you to stop leaving a gap between where you are and where you think you “should” be and to instead give yourself permission to meet yourself here and now. Where you already are.
Discover who you are, filter the world and your experiences of the world through that lens, and just be you.
The fastest way to write a strong story is with an effective outline that plots your novel’s beating heart.
In Outline Your Novel, you’ll learn exactly what these beats are, why they matter, and how to outline them effectively to make your story sing.
