The best "how to" book ever written on humor. If you want to improve your humor skills, you can't get any better than this book. It's ridiculously loaded with jokes and examples, as well as how to create your own humor.

Jester,
Executive Coach

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Product Description

A comprehensive (and fundamental) guide to writing, selling and performing all types of comedy, including comments, advice, gags and routines from dozens of top comics.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #86468 in Books
• Published on: 1992-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 325 pages

About the Author
Mel Helitzer is an award-winning journalism professor and has written comedy material for such stars as Sammy Davis, Jr., Art Linkletter, and Shari Lewis, Mark A, Shatz is a professor of psychology and teaches humour writing.

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Customer Reviews

Comedy Writing Secrets by Melvin Helitzer a must!
Helitzer's Book on comedy writing is the best book out there on the subject. He has a firm grasp on essential techniques needed to refine your raw material into comedy gold. I recommend this book for anyone seiously interested in the old addage, "if it's funny there's money!" If you perform stand-up, or just write, this is the book to read. His various examples from today's comedians are not only hilarious but keep the reader interested and the book moving along. Helitzer has written the first and best book on the subject. I teach a comedy class and I know I couldn't do it without this book.

Learn the fundamentals of comedy writing!
The fundamentals of comedy writing haven't changed since this book was originally published, and Mel Helitzer (who's taught comedy writing at university for decades) delivers a step-by-step course on comedic writing, thinking, and acting.

You'll learn the basics of comedy writing, the anatomy of humor, and the avenues by which you can turn your comedic talent into a well-paying pursuitÑand why the demand for humor writers far exceeds the supply. You'll also find more than a thousand one-liners, bits, and speech excerpts covering the entire range of comedy techniques.

If you want a comprehensive guide to writing, selling, and performing all types of comedy, then this is the book you must read cover to cover and keep on your shelf for a lifetime of reference.

A rectangular book ideal for squares
Ever wondered why we laugh and why certain jokes are funny?

Well, the answers to those questions set the frame work that Comedy Writing Secrets follows to help you think more like a comedy writer.

Even if you are a naturally funny person (speaking from experience here!) the book is incredibly valuable. If you read a few chapters and then go about your day you might find something magic... all of a sudden you'll start making jokes you never would have thought of.

I didn't buy it with the intention of becoming a stand up or writing hit TV shows but it has helped me create jokes I would previously never thought of.

It's a great read and very funny. There are numerous examples to illustrate the concepts and the book's structure is easy to follow.

It's really a textbook on comedy without being a textbook.