Hopefully some of the jokes you wrote from your first open mic got a response. Keep whatever was working for you, and bring those jokes back. Can you add new jokes to the same premise? (A Tag). A lot of knowing if jokes work comes from practicing the jokes multiple times.
When starting out as a new comic, repeating your material can be more valuable than writing fresh new jokes for every show. Focus on perfecting 3 to 5 jokes that are working, and repeat them as much as possible for the first few months. This will allow you to:
•Improve the delivery – The more you tell a joke, the more natural and polished the delivery will become. Repetition helps you find the rhythm and pacing that gets the biggest laugh.
•Expand the jokes – As you repeat the jokes, you’ll likely think of new tags or punchlines to further enhance the premise. This helps you find the full comic potential within a given topic.
•Gain experience – Those first few times telling jokes can be nerve racking. Repeating material you’re familiar with helps you gain more performance experience and confidence up on stage.
For the first 6 months to a year, aim to repeat your material at least 3 to 4 times before writing anything new. This will help you develop a solid 5 to 7 minutes of well-honed, high performing jokes. Once you reach that point, then focus more energy on generating fresh material. But in the very beginning, repetition and perfecting what you have is a great way to establish yourself as a new comic.
A Handy Ratio for Repeating to Writing
- Beginner (<1 year): 80% Repeat, 20% Write New
- Intermediate (1-3 years): 60% Repeat, 40% Write New
- Established (>3 years): 40% Repeat, 60% Write New
You do you of course! But if you need permission to do that joke over and over again, now you have it.
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