Be a Great Stand-up : How to master the art of stand up comedy and making people laugh

From one of the UK's most acclaimed and successful tutors of stand-up comedy comes this guide to understanding, developing and, most importantly, delivering a great comedy routine. Features practical tips, exercises, and expert advice.

Logan Murray has successfully taught the techniques of stand-up comedy to thousands, and in this book he distills his years of experience into the essential skills for a great and enjoyable performance. He will help you find your own creative streak and your funny side, build the confidence to deliver, and explain the finer details of stagecraft, from dealing with hecklers to coping with props. There is a full guide to the practicalities, from finding gigs to securing an agent, with plenty of valuable hints, tips and advice. Drawing on Logan's years of teaching and his own successful stand-up career, with top tips from some of the most well-known people in the business, it is guaranteed to bring a smile to both your face and that of your future audience. Be a Great Stand-up includes:Part one - TheoryChapter 1: Where do jokes come from?Chapter 2: Building a jokeChapter 3: Comedy ground rulesChapter 4: What sort of comic are you?Part two - Practical sessionsChapter 5: Unlocking your creativityChapter 6: Emotional exaggerationChapter 7: Creating materialChapter 8: StagecraftChapter 9: Microphone techniqueChapter 10: Hecklers and crowd controlChapter 11: What other comics thinkChapter 12: BusinessChapter 13: Your first gigChapter 14: The futureABOUT THE SERIESThe Teach Yourself Creative Writing series helps aspiring authors tell their story. Covering a range of genres from science fiction and romantic novels, to illustrated children's books and comedy, this series is packed with advice, exercises and tips for unlocking creativity and improving your writing. And because we know how daunting the blank page can be, we set up the Just Write online community at tyjustwrite, for budding authors and successful writers to connect and share.