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Silman-James Press

The Comic Toolbox How to Be Funny Even If You're Not

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Description

A workbook approach to comedy writing as creative problem-solving. It offers tools of the trade such as Clash of Context, Tension and Release, The Law of Comic Opposites, The Wildly Inappropriate Response, and The Myth of the Last Great Idea to writers, comics, and anyone else who wants to be funny. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Silman-James Press; First Edition (July 1, 1994)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Paperback ‏ : ‎ 191 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1879505215


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 16


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.18 x 0.54 x 8.87 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #160,647 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #469 in Fiction Writing Reference (Books) #870 in Performing Arts (Books) #112,761 in Literature & Fiction (Books)


#469 in Fiction Writing Reference (Books):


#870 in Performing Arts (Books):


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Great advice beyond comedy
I bought this book along with two by Gene Perret with a view to transforming what is currently a journalistic expose into comedic creative nonfiction. All three will be invaluable but I found once I opened John's book The Comic Toolbox (I like to read several books simultaneously) I just couldn't put it down. While I'm learning more about how "jokes" are constructed from Perret's Comedy Writing Workbook, what I'm getting from John--which was entirely unexpected--is a broader look at how comedy fits into my writing overall. The chapter on Comic Characters gave me a fresh perspective on describing the flaws, humanity and unique world-view of the three people whose interaction lies at the heart of my book. What I especially like are the copious examples plus exercises to try along the way. Unlike a minority of reviewers I did find the book an engaging, funny read. What better example could this author set (given what he says about delivering on the promise of a title) than be amusing himself? In the past 24 hours since receiving The Comic Toolbox I've been busy highlighting, making notes in the margins, taking part in the exercises and writing up longer notes in my writing journal. Truly, this is a "keeper" and will be a valuable resource for writing in a more fresh and engaging way, generally, while I aim to master the skill of writing humorously. Wasn't it Victor Borge who said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people"? I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who--quite aside from those looking to carve a career in sit-coms or stand-up comedy--seeks to persuade others to pay attention to what they are saying or writing, in business or life generally. You won't be disappointed! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2014 by Buffy's Mom
    • This book actually TEACHES
I've read a handful of books on comedy writing in the past few months, and this book is the only one worth the money and the time. It is intelligent, insightful, and useful -- which the other books in general were not. Most writing on comedy that I am familiar with is either incredibly obvious (and no help in getting a humorous tale underway) or bafflingly and pointlessly academic (ditto -- and I read philosophers: I do not have trouble with intellectual content per se). This book, by contrast, hits the sweet spot of analysis and how-to, of what-makes-it-go and how-you-can-get-there. Job well done. (It must be said that Vorhaus doesn't understand the Wodehouse magic, specifically the Jeeves-Wooster relationship or what defines the characters of Jeeves and Wooster (who is not, *pace* the author, a class snob -- that's sheer projection and carelessness on the author's part.) I would also have liked more reference to English comedy -- Are You Being Served?, for instance, has been well known to American audiences for about a quarter century -- which would illustrate his points as well as American ones, and underscore the universality of the principles he talks about. Overall, a strong book, and recommended. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2019 by transponder
    • If you're not blessed with the humor gene, Vorhaus can help
I bought this book because I wanted to see if there were guidelines for humor. I like steps, a plan, Rules A, B, C that will insure I achieve the right end result. And the book's byline--"A funny idea is worthless until you understand the mechanics of its construction and execution. Meet Mr. Goodwrench."--made it sound like I'd found my blueprint. Besides being a successful comic writer for most of his life with credits for a variety of sitcoms, Vorhaus taught at a variety of Film-oriented schools including the American Film Institute. What he does in the book is distill his lifetime of comedy writing into a how-to toolkit on creating humor. He starts by analyzing humor, explaining why some lines are funny and others aren't, with lots of examples. You can't get bored reading this book because the moment it starts to feel like a textbook, it breaks out into a joke (What do you get when you cross a Jehovah's Witness with an agnostic? Someone who rings your doorbell for no apparent reason). Here are some hints that made sense to me in my quest for humor: mix truth with pain (A man falls off a cliff. As he plummets to his death, he's heard to mutter, 'So far, so good.') be willing to risk making yourself look stupid for every ten jokes you tell, nine will be trash the comic premise is the gap between comic reality and real reality (for example, in the comic strip Peanuts, there's a gap between Snoopy's 'real' reality--he's a dog--and his 'comic' reality--he's a World War I flying ace humor through exaggeration (Jerry Lewis is the supreme bumbler)--and be bold about it clash of context--a forced union of incompatibles--i.e., lunar golf course, Madonna sings opera the wildly inappropriate response--For example, a backyard barbeque with militant vegetarianism, at a baseball game cheering for the vendors the law of comic opposites tension and release Each chapter, he not only explains the comedic tool, he encourages the reader to practice the tool. For example, in the chapter, The Comic Premise, readers must write a mundane task (i.e., going to a store) and what would make that out of the ordinary (shopping for Uzis). Here's one example I liked: a mundane event--the Magna Carta; out of the ordinary rejoinder--written by e.e. cummings. In a nutshell, Vorhaus breaks comedy down into its bits and pieces. Yes, some people are blessed with the comic gene, a funny bone that turns life into a laugh tape, but the rest of us need help. Since I'm a firm believer that every story goes better with a sense of humor (I get a lot of my funny-isms from my naturally-talented husband), you'll want to spend a couple hours with this book. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2012 by Jacqui Murray
    • Ima Fool
I made a mistake. I read the title as The Comic's Toolbox (as in performer) instead of what it actually is: The Comic Toolbox (as in author). I've read about half , so far. It's a very good book and it has some wonderful, informative, and helpful nuggets of knowledge. I especially like the author's style of brainstorming aspects of character to accommodate developing comedic potential. Any furthering of the understanding of comedy will benefit the aspiring standup comic, and this book defiantly falls within that category. (Who else hears a giant "but" coming?) - - - But, the targeted demographic of this book is not the purveyors of standup comedy. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2023 by Harry Palms

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