Lesson 5
Comedy Writing Workshop
Working
With Analyzation
Writing
Exercise 4
"Writing
from Your Associations List"
by Gene Perret
This workout will
finally get you to that writing process we've mentioned so many times
throughout this chapter. Here you'll get to reap the benefits of the
preparatory work you've been doing. You're going to write punchlines to
given setups. They should lie somewhere in the lists you've been
compiling.
HERE'S WHAT YOU
DO FOR THIS WORKOUT
Write two
punchlines each to the setup lines that follow. You don't have to draw
from the items that you've listed, but do refer to them for inspiration.
You may change the
setup line, if necessary, to accommodate the grammar, the rhythm, or the
comedy of your punchline.
For example, the
following line...
"I'm in
really bad shape. Some people get up and touch their toes in the
morning. I count mine."
. . may be
changed to accommodate a different punchline. For example...
"I'm in
really bad shape. Some people touch their toes without bending their
knees. I can't touch my knees without bending my toes."
Here are some
setups for you to add punchlines to:
1. I hate to
exercise. The only jogging I do is...
2. When I think
of breaking out in a sweat, I...
3. My idea of a
brisk workout is to...
4. Some people
jump out of bed in the morning and touch their toes ten times. I jump
out of bed in the morning and . . .
5. Some folks
exercise and get big muscles. I exercise and get...
6. I'm in very
bad shape. I went to the gym, and...
7. I asked the
instructor what I should do to improve my figure (physique). He (she)
recommended...
8. I've been
doing sit-ups faithfully now for five weeks. The only change I've
noticed is ...
9. My instructor
keeps saying, "No pain, no gain." I finally told him (her),
"..."
10. The only
exercise I really enjoy is the rowing machine (or substitute another
exercise device). With that, at least I . . .
HERE'S WHAT THIS
WORKOUT WILL DO FOR YOU
First of all,
you're writing punchlines. Writing is always good practice for future
writing.
Second, you're
experiencing firsthand the value of a comprehensive list. Each of these
setup lines is a challenge--and not an easy challenge. The ideas that
are in your list, and the ideas that are suggested by the items in your
list, should be an invaluable help in finding the correct punchline for
each of these straight-lines.
HERE ARE SOME
EXAMPLES
I don't want to
offer any punchlines for the setups that I've given. That would only
make your writing more difficult. So I've composed an eleventh
straight-line and will furnish a few examples of punchlines that might
be attached to it.
The setup is:
A friend of mine
went to a health club and lost 25 pounds in no time. What happened
was...
Here are some
possible punchlines:
a) . . . one of
those machines tore her leg off.
b)... somebody
stole his gym bag.
c)... she got so
exhausted from exercising, she fell asleep in the sauna.
d)... they made
him check his lunch bag at the door.
e) . . . she
paid cash.
A WORD BEFORE YOU
START
You can probably
recognize that any list I compiled would likely contain "exercise
machines," "gym bag," "sauna or steam room."
The straight-line and a study of the lists prompted the first three punchlines.
I also had the
words "diet" and "expensive" on my lists, and they
generated the last two lines. Although they are variations, they still
were derived from the list.
However, the real
awakening is in your own writing. You experience how the ammunition you
gathered by compiling those extensive lists of associations helped you
in writing your punchlines.
They should help
the quality, quantity, and speed of your creativity. Put this theory to
the test by completing this workout, and have fun with it.
Post your list to the classroom. Use humor to interact with each
other. When responding to others' lists, play off each others' ideas.
The juxtapositions should inspire jokes.
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